TEHRAN- The Deputy for Economic Policy at Iran's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance has announced the implementation of a series of government support measures for enterprises and households damaged by the war, stating that planning to support businesses began in the very first weeks of the conflict.

According to IRNA's report from the Ministry of Economy, Morteza Zamanian, referring to government actions to reduce pressure on economic actors, stated: "In the first two to three weeks of the war, certain amendments were made to some economic regulations and procedures to prevent serious disruption to business activities."

Zamanian emphasized that many of the problems facing enterprises are administrative in nature, saying: "A significant portion of the support is not necessarily financial and relates more to resolving customs, banking, insurance, tax, and licensing issues." For this purpose, the government's economic authorities were delegated to an agile task force to enable faster decision-making under wartime conditions.

He added that at the beginning of the war, some customs and foreign exchange procedures were reformed, and certain corporate obligations such as letters of guarantee and settlements were temporarily postponed to reduce pressure on producers.

Launch of a direct communication channel with entrepreneurs 

The Deputy Economy Minister also announced the launch of a user account named "Hamrah-e-Kasbokar" (Business Companion) on the Bale messenger app, explaining that this system is designed to register the problems of entrepreneurs, particularly non-financial issues.

According to him, more than 10,000 requests have been registered on this platform so far, many of which have been answered or referred to relevant authorities for follow-up. Additionally, to prevent administrative problems, licenses that expired during this period have been automatically extended for several months.

Facilities to preserve employment in SMEs

Zamanian pointed to the government's financial support programs, stating: "One of the most important goals of the government in the post-war period is preserving employment." 

Accordingly, under the facilities of Article 15 of the Budget Law, support has been considered for small and medium enterprises with 2 to 50 insured employees that have been damaged by the war.

He explained that these enterprises can receive six-month facilities with a two-month grace period, equivalent to twice the minimum wage per worker, to retain their workforce. If the enterprises maintain 80 to 100 percent of their workforce after this period, the facilities will be repaid under normal terms.

Implementation of "Iranian Universal Credit" scheme to support households 

The Deputy for Economic Policy at the Ministry of Economy then referred to support for households and very small businesses, stating that these individuals will be supported under the "Iranian Universal Credit" scheme.

According to him, under this scheme, credit for purchases is considered for households that have faced reduced income, especially those without fixed earnings. It is projected that a four-member household will receive credit at low interest rates with six-month repayment terms, which can be used to purchase consumer and durable goods at designated stores.

Zamanian stated that the goal of this scheme, in addition to supporting household livelihoods, is to increase demand for manufactured goods and help with the cash flow of enterprises. 

He added that the target population for this scheme is approximately 20 million people, and the executive details will be announced soon.

Meanwhile, on April 11, the head of the Iran Chamber of Industries and Mines stated that issues related to paying facilities, compensating damages, and supporting industrial units are on the government's serious agenda.

Abdolvahab Sahlabadi told IRNA that over the past 40 days, the government has provided necessary support to damaged industrial and production units, and they have been corresponding, meeting, and following up daily so that industrial units can return to the production cycle as soon as possible.

He added that from the first days of the damages, the process of identifying damaged industrial, trade, and residential units across the country began swiftly.

The head of the Iran Chamber of Industries and Mines continued that many units have personally reported their damages, and these cases have been registered in the offices of industry, mining, and trade in the provinces and immediately referred to the official experts of the judiciary. Experts have visited the damage sites, and "evidence preservation" has been carried out; thus, the amount of damage to each unit has been officially determined.

Referring to numerous meetings between the chamber and the Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade, he stated that industrial organizations, including the Iran Chamber of Industries and Mines, are continuously pursuing the extent of damage to affected units.

Sahlabadi said that proposals and points raised by the organizations have been conveyed to officials, and it is expected that the results of the negotiations and follow-ups will lead to effective compensation.

The head of the Iran Chamber of Industries and Mines emphasized that the country's production must return to a dynamic and sustainable path without interruption, stating that as private sector trustees, they are seriously following this path.

He noted that the Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade, along with his deputies, have visited damaged industrial and production units and issued necessary orders for the swiftest possible return of industries to the production line, which he hopes will be followed up quickly.

Sahlabadi, while condemning the American-Zionist attacks on industrial and production units, said that UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) must be held accountable for this situation.

He stated that attacks on civilian production and industrial units are a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, international humanitarian law, and the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this must be pursued at the international level.

Minister visits damaged factories, vows support for rebuilding infrastructure

On March 25, the Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, emphasizing the importance of sustaining production in wartime conditions, stressed the government and ministry's support for rebuilding infrastructure, providing facilities, and facilitating the necessary processes to restore the full capacity of damaged production units.

According to IRNA from the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, Seyed Mohammad Atabak, during his seventh field visit to units damaged in the Ramadan War, visited two manufacturing plants in the west of Tehran Province on March 25.

In the first part of this program, the Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade visited a factory where part of its production lines had been taken out of operation due to being hit by enemy missiles; however, other sections of the facility continued operating without interruption.

During this visit, Atabak emphasized the importance of sustaining production and stressed the government and ministry's support for rebuilding infrastructure, providing facilities, and facilitating the necessary processes to restore the full capacity of this production unit.

In the second part of the program, the Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade visited a food products manufacturing unit whose operations have been halted for over two weeks due to damage caused by a missile strike on a neighboring factory.

While speaking with the facility's managers, he announced follow-up efforts to grant facilities and swiftly resolve infrastructural issues to bring this unit back into production.

Iran calls on UNIDO to stop attacks on non-military industrial facilities

On March 26, the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, in an official letter to UNIDO, has called for an end to attacks on Iran's non-military industrial facilities and for compensation for damages.

According to Mehr News Agency, the Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade, in a letter addressed to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), while detailing the extent of damage inflicted on certain production units, has called for specialized cooperation and technical support from the organization to assess, rebuild, and restore the country's industrial capacities.

Mohammad Atabak, commenting on the damages caused by the US and Israeli aggression against Iran's production and industrial sectors, stated: "We have conducted visits to the factories that were hit; actions needed to be taken, and the extent of damage to the factories varied."

He added: "The amount of damages has been estimated by teams, and measures such as granting extensions for social security payments, worker salaries, and taxes have been pursued to compensate for part of the damages."

Referring to the details of the letter and UNIDO's pivotal role in industrial development and enhancing production capabilities, the Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade said: "According to international law, non-military production units should not be targeted. In this letter, it has been requested that this international body, in line with its missions, put the necessary measures on its agenda."

Atabak emphasized: "Factories that produce public goods or necessities for the people should not be targeted. However, the enemy has carried out this aggression against factories, it seems the US does not adhere to any convention. Therefore, we have asked the United Nations to intervene in this matter."

He stated: "Unfortunately, the UN acts with a double standard, and we see this duality so clearly that we truly believe it will lead to a very difficult accountability for the organization's own future."

According to him, under the provisions of conventions based on international agreements, civilian industries should not be targeted in conflicts. This issue must be investigated and pursued by international bodies.

Emphasizing that attacks on factories must be stopped as a first step, the Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade said: "Ultimately, the amount of damages must also be paid by the aggressor country, and just laws must be established."

Atabak, stressing the necessity of maintaining the sustainability of production for public goods and essential commodities, announced: "Technical documentation and supplementary reports on the status of damaged units are being compiled and, once finalized, will be submitted to UNIDO for expert review. This correspondence aims to enhance technical coordination and utilize international capacities for the swift recovery of industrial units."

He added: "The Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, in an official letter to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has called for an end to attacks on non-military industrial facilities, the official declaration of the extent of damages, and the pursuit of compensation for them."

EF/MA