Iran's trade diplomacy surges with expansion of commercial attaché network

TEHRAN- The Director General of the West Asia Office at Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), elaborating on the organization's major achievements in the years 1403 and 1404 (2024–2025) announced unprecedented records in attracting trade delegations and developing export infrastructure.

He stated that Expo 1403 was one of the country's most successful trade events, yielding significant accomplishments through precise targeting and the strong presence of government officials and the private sector from various countries.

Abdolamir Rabihavi, in an exclusive interview with IRNA, emphasized that the Africa Summit held on the sidelines of Expo 1403 was unparalleled in the history of Iran's foreign trade in terms of the number of government officials and private sector activists from the continent. He added: "The presence of 700 ministers, deputy ministers, and high-ranking African delegations, along with their site visits to production units in provinces such as Isfahan, provided a solid foundation for the development of sustainable cooperation."

The Director General of the TPO's West Asia Office identified the expansion of relations with neighboring countries and West Asia as a key priority, saying: "During this period, we witnessed active engagement, including the dispatch and reception of trade delegations with key countries such as Turkey, Iraq, the UAE, Oman, and Kuwait. Additionally, holding the Fars Province Expo in 1403, with a focus on the Persian Gulf countries and Iraq, was an effective step toward strengthening regional trade ties."

Rabihavi pointed to the organization's developmental measures over the past two years and announced structural changes in Iran's trade centers, stating: "Expanding the network of trade centers was prioritized, leading to the establishment of new centers in some countries that previously lacked them."

He continued: "In countries where we had only one trade center, the number was increased to two or three to maximize support services for Iranian exporters."

He also referred to the strengthening of economic diplomacy through an increase in commercial attachés, saying: "For example, in Iraq, given the existing capacities, the presence of commercial attachés has been expanded from Baghdad to the Kurdistan Region (Erbil) and southern Iraq. This approach is also being pursued and implemented in other target markets, including Turkey, with the establishment of an attaché in Ankara."

The Director General of the TPO's West Asia Office concluded by noting: "Developing a 'trade roadmap' with economic partner countries, including Iraq and Turkey, has been one of our strategic measures. These roadmaps have been sent to the counterpart parties for review and finalization, and many countries have already submitted their proposals."

He added: "Furthermore, pursuing bilateral trade agreements is another key focus of ours to facilitate and stabilize trade in the future."