TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has ordered executive bodies to take immediate steps to remove obstacles to domestic and foreign investment in the country, ISNA reported on Monday.

In line with the purpose, Rouhani ordered removal of obstacles, especially unnecessary and excessive regulations, for investment.

Among other things, the president asked the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization to pave the grounds for attracting more tourists, ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to take steps in line with self-sufficiency in agricultural crops and if necessary leasing land abroad for farming.

Rouhani also ordered the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology to focus on practical skills rather than just on theories.

The decisions come as U.S. has introduced the harshest ever sanctions against Iran in line with the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” on Iran, a policy that analysts and politicians say is intended to strangulate Iran.

Ebrahim Raeisi, the Judiciary chief, said on Sunday that all officials are duty bound to support businessmen and entrepreneurs.

During a meeting with a number of businessmen, Raeisi said that under the current situation in which the United States has waged an economic war on Iran, all officials and state bodies are duty bound to fully support businessmen and entrepreneurs.

He noted that it is essential to counter enemies’ plots through taking moves in line with boosting production and creating jobs.

The Judiciary will take steps in line with of boosting production sector and fighting corruption, Raeisi promised.

The Supreme Council of Economic Coordination convened on Saturday during which a plan was drawn up to facilitate production process and removing obstacles to it.

The session, headed by President Hassan Rouhani, brought together Raisi, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri and some economic officials.

It was also decided to facilitate repayment of debts by production enterprises in order to prevent their closure.

In May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the JCPOA (the official for the international nuclear deal) and ordered reimposition of sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4.

John Bolton, the national security advisor to Trump, said in November 2018, “We think the (Iranian) government is under real pressure and it’s our intention to squeeze them very hard. As the British say, squeeze them until the pips squeak.”

NA/PA