TEHRAN -- So far, 20 organizations and affiliated bodies in the Ministry of Commerce have been dissolved under a plan to merge subsidiary bodies, Minister of Commerce, Mohammad Shariatmadari stated on 21 June 2002.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar in Gilan Province, he said that the move is in line with state policies on privatization and downsizing the Ministry.

Affairs related to some of these entities have already been ceded to the private sector, he said.

The Minister referred to certain structural shortcomings and lack of accurate planning in the economic sector and said that such problems have denied Iran the opportunity to secure a foothold in the Persian Gulf markets and CIS countries, IRNA reported.