TEHRAN -- Managing Director of Iran's Paint Cooperatives Association Mohammad-Javad Haj Zavareh told IRNA here on Saturday that Iran's economic infrastructure had been oriented toward imports in the 50s due to depending on foreign currency revenues gained from oil.

Referring to the government's monopoly in taking major decisions as one of the factors contributing to the existing problems, he said that various institutions, which are concerned about public interest, should be urged to participate in the process and present their opinions.

Zavareh reiterated that the interests in investment in production and export is currently ranging between 18-23 percent, which is far from the international rate.

He assessed the approval of the law on aggregate tax unfavorable and detrimental to the national economy and said that in no other country are the producers required to pay this type of tax. The official stressed, "Given that taxes are required to be paid after the production, they should not be included in the cost price. Otherwise they will contribute to increasing the prices."

He noted that taxes on production should depend on the revenue gained by the producers and producers but should not be pressurized by taxation.

"Taxes should rather be paid by the consumers, provided that it will not impose additional expenses on the family expenditure basket," he added.

Zavareh said that to enter the world market, special conditions such as privatization of the manufacturing sector in the non-strategic fields should be effected.

Referring to exclusive production, elimination of subsidies and customs duties as the basic elements of globalization, he said that if Iran decides to enter the world market it should make the rates and quality of its products competitive to the world market.

"The low rate of export is attributed by some individuals to private sector's refusal to be exposed to the associated risks, while inflation is mainly responsible for it," he added.

The official said that goods exported from Iran would fail to be competitive when the neighboring countries present their goods at lower prices.

Stressing that development of planning culture is one of the main ways to optimize the national economy, he concluded that if the culture of taxation and inflation are revised, non-oil exports can be increased remarkably.