FM says economic goals central to foreign policy, sanctions relief a top mission
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said economic priorities play a key role in shaping the country’s foreign policy and described efforts to lift sanctions and help improve the national economy as core missions of the ministry, speaking on Monday at a meeting of the Iran Entrepreneurs Forum.
“Economic diplomacy has entered an operational phase under this approach,” Araghchi said, IRNA reported.
Araghchi discussed the role and position of the Foreign Ministry in advancing Iran’s economic diplomacy and exchanged views with members of the forum on ways to strengthen cooperation between the diplomatic service and the private sector.
Iran has been facing Western sanctions over its nuclear program for decades, which target the oil and energy sectors and affect humanitarian costs, including medicine and healthcare.
Araghchi described the ministry’s practical diplomatic approach to economic projects, noting that “backing projects on the ground, clearing banking, transport, and legal hurdles, and enabling collaboration with foreign partners form the foundation of this approach.”
He also underscored the importance of the private sector, saying, “Entrepreneurs and economic actors play a vital role in strengthening national capacity.”
Araghchi added that by supporting the private sector and facilitating economic exchanges, the Foreign Ministry seeks to make cooperation with foreign partners — particularly in the region and with neighboring countries — smoother and more effective.
Members of the Iran Entrepreneurs Forum, for their part, presented their views and proposals on challenges and obstacles facing economic activity and stressed the need to strengthen interaction between the private sector and the diplomatic system.