TEHRAN – Iran’s private sector has stepped up efforts to expand economic cooperation with Japan, as the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA) signed a cooperation agreement with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), officials said.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at a meeting attended by senior Iranian and Japanese economic and political figures, including the head of the Tehran chamber, Japan’s ambassador to Iran and Iran’s deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy.

The two sides stressed the importance of preserving ties under sanctions while preparing the groundwork for a rapid expansion of relations in a post-sanctions environment.

Under the agreement, the TCCIMA and Japanese economic institutions committed to cooperation on trade missions, joint training programs and business matchmaking events to expand commercial exchanges between Iranian and Japanese companies.

Mahmoud Najafi-Arab, head of the Tehran chamber, described the agreement as a significant step in strengthening long-standing economic relations between the two countries. He said sanctions would not be permanent and urged Japanese companies to maintain and deepen their presence in Iran to secure their position in the future market.

Japan’s Ambassador to Iran Tamaki Tsukada, said the economic section of the Japanese embassy in Tehran had been reactivated, adding that the agreement with the Tehran chamber would provide a practical framework for reinforcing bilateral business cooperation. He noted that Japanese firms had maintained a presence in Iran despite sanctions pressure.

JETRO vice president Takafumi Suzuki said the organization was fully prepared to implement the agreement, with plans for reciprocal trade delegations, market-focused training courses and business matching initiatives.

Hamid Ghanbari, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy, voiced the government’s full support for private-sector initiatives led by the Tehran chamber, saying sanctions had failed to halt trade flows. He advised Japanese firms not to overlook Iran’s economic potential, adding that post-sanctions cooperation would prioritize partners that remained engaged during difficult periods.

The meeting also explored new areas of cooperation, including proposals by Masahiro Yamada, head of the Japan Business Association in Iran, for joint projects in electronic sports education platforms and animated film production.

Saeed Tajik, head of the Tehran chamber’s energy and environment commission, called for renewed cooperation on air pollution monitoring and environmental studies, citing past collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He also highlighted opportunities for joint efforts on greenhouse gas reduction and carbon certification.

Fereydoun Vardi-Nejad, secretary general of the Tehran chamber, pointed to non-sanctioned sectors with immediate cooperation potential, including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, education, food, agriculture and technology, and said the chamber was ready to engage directly with the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce.

EF/