TEHRAN- An economic expert, emphasizing the necessity of activating land and rail corridors to counter the American naval blockade, said: "The main obstacles to direct connection with the China corridor must be removed, and intermediaries should be cut out of direct trade with Beijing."

Ata Bahrami stated in an interview with IRNA, referring to America's naval blockade of Iran: "In such circumstances, strengthening rail corridors and reducing foreign trade dependence on southern ports is more important than ever, and it seems that this approach can also increase economic resilience."

Referring to China's policy of developing rail corridors, he said: "We must cooperate with China on at least two routes of these corridors."

The economic expert, emphasizing that in today's multipolar world, countries need to have various cards to play in the political and economic arena in order to overcome restrictions and sanctions depending on different conditions and situations, said: "Global trade can be conducted through various routes, and for a country like Iran, which has access to its neighbors from four geographical directions, playing a role in international transit routes and corridors is not only a shortcut to overcome the naval blockade but also a permanent necessity."

Asked whether the logistical infrastructure is in place to support land trade, he said: "If we set aside internal obstacles, many problems will be solved."

UAE should be removed from intermediating trade with China

Bahrami continued, in response to the question that in recent decades we have seen Iran's trade dependence on UAE ports, but goods entering Iran from these ports are mostly loaded from China; what should be done in the current situation? He said: "In our foreign trade, we do not need intermediaries; rather, we must develop our trade directly with China, just as many countries have such exchanges and even use China's currency settlement system to enhance these relations."

The economic expert stated: "Even before this war, we had no need for the UAE in foreign trade, but some intermediaries and companies registered in the UAE did not allow direct trade. Now that political and economic relations with the UAE have been severed, the best opportunity has arisen to reform our country's trade relations."

He emphasized: "In today's world, intermediation in trade, especially in the form that the UAE had with Iran, has no place. Most of the goods loaded from UAE ports to Iran were made in China, and given the close relations between Tehran and Beijing, one must ask why such intermediation was felt necessary in Iran's foreign trade."

He added: "One of the advantages of direct relations with China is the possibility of direct transportation of goods through land and rail corridors, and in this way, costs such as unloading and reloading goods at ports also become irrelevant."

Joining China's cross-border clearing system will solve the problem

Asked whether Iran joining China's cross-border interbank payment system (CIPS) can save our economy from the grip of the UAE and the dollar, Bahrami replied: "CIPS will solve our problem. More than 100 countries trade with Beijing using this method, and recently Brazil signed a monetary agreement with China."

He concluded: "Developing trade, whether in imports or exports, requires facilitation and removal of obstacles. At the same time, entry and exit points for goods must be diversified so that tactics such as economic blockade cannot succeed."

MA