TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian trade official downplayed the effects of the western sanctions imposed against Tehran, and said that the country has turned the embargos into opportunities in the past 35 years.
"The sanctions cannot bring the country's economy to a standstill; similar to the past when the country made progress," Head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Valiollah Afkhamirad said on Wednesday.

He underlined that the country's non-oil exports have witnessed a 20-percent growth in the past eight months despite the existing problems and sanctions imposed against the country's banking system.

Afkhamirad reiterated that the Iranian government has turned the sanctions into opportunities.

In October, President Hassan Rouhani said his government has plans on economic issues with the neighbors and a number of big powers, which could be performed even under sanctions.

In relevant remarks in November, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri downplayed the effects of the sanctions against the country, and said Tehran has serious plans for administering the country in case of facing even tougher embargos.

"The enemies started the sanctions with a special goal and plan to prevent the country's growth and development by these sanctions," Jahangiri said in Alborz province near the capital city of Tehran.

Stressing the Iranian officials' efforts to restore the nation's rights, he said, "Now we have worked out plans to confront pressures even more than the present level." "Therefore, if the sanctions continue, some essential plans have been compiled for managing the country under even harder conditions," Jahangiri said.

By Fars News Agency

 

The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.