TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s minister of industry deplored on Sunday the U.S. government for its attempts at obstructing Tehran’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"We have fallen behind in joining the WTO because of the U.S. opposition, while we have no technical problem,” Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said in a meeting with Vietnam’s minister of agriculture and rural development in Tehran.
Hindering Iran’s membership in the WTO is squarely a political issue, Nematzadeh added, calling on Vietnam to support the country’s efforts in that process.
The minister also proposed drafting a roadmap to mutual cooperation between Tehran and Hanoi within the next two months.
Nematzadeh then hailed Vietnam’s good experience of international trade, calling for closer interaction with the Southeast Asian country in various fields, as in joint investment and production.
Iran has been requesting to join the WTO since 1995, and was admitted to the organization as an observer in 2005, but sanctions began to hit Tehran afterwards and certain countries opposed its membership.
The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.
The organization has more than 160 members.
******* Iran’s Minister of Industry Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh