An official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) says no decision has been taken yet to cut trade ties with Saudi Arabia.
“Although political relations with countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Sudan have been downgraded, but there are no changes in trade relations with the countries,” the ISNA news agency quoted TPOI deputy director Mohammad Reza Movadvadi as saying.
“As the body responsible for promoting exports, we believe that trade ties should be established with the whole world. Meanwhile, we are in a situation that some countries may be willing to hinder our trade due to their hostilities with us,” the official explained.
“So, we should make attempt to find alternative markets. I think that there are many substitute export destinations in Europe and some other countries which can even be more beneficial for us.”
Meanwhile, local media reported that the Iranian government cabinet has passed a bill to ban the import of goods from Saudi Arabia in response to the Saudi execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, a pro-democracy Shia cleric who was detained in 2011 following the Arab spring