On the latest status of Iran’s membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), Valiollah Afkhami Rad said, “despite the positive signals received from WTO about Iran’s joining the international organization, the chairman of Iran’s working group for accession has not been selected yet,” and added: “Switzerland had previously showed tendency to take the responsibility but no definite decision has been made yet.”
“The process begins immediately after the chairman of the working group is selected,” said Afkhami Rad and continued, “accordingly, we are taking the necessary follow-ups through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by holding meetings with various countries’ FMs.”
He further asserted that many countries are looking forward to Iran’s membership; “if Iran becomes a member of WTO, the situation improves to a great extent because some countries will face limitations on imposing sanctions against Iran as well as that our economic system will become more transparent facilitating foreign investment in the country,” he underlined.
“In selection of the working group’s chairman, Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization welcomes impartial countries who did not have a role in imposing sanctions against our country and we have done extensive studies in this regard analyzing WTO’s activities over the last ten years,” he maintained.
The official highlighted that Iran seeks to have a country like Switzerland as the head of Iran’s working group.
On the possibility of a veto in the case of Iran’s membership in the World Trade Organization, Afkhami Rad said, “in 2004, all members including the US agreed to grant Iran the right to have an observer in WTO; therefore, a veto is not likely at the moment though we need to be prepared for any reaction.”
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