Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi (AFP)

According to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran saw an increase of 40% in its exports in 2021 and a 13% growth in non-oil exports this year as well, withstanding the ongoing US and EU sanctions against the country and many of its individuals and companies.

Raisi said that the Iranian nation will continue to withstand the sanctions war with the US and the West with the support of Iran's economic actors and producers: "Exporters and producers are the officers of the sanctions war, and they should strive to win this battle,” the president said at a ceremony on National Day of Export on October 21, noting that all efforts should be taken towards production and development of basic technology" he said, adding: "The committees that work for the growth of exports and removing the obstacles facing exporters should pay more attention to the views and opinions of exporters than others".

Despite the harsh US sanctions enforced against Iran to impede its global growth, the rapid export increase signals economic professionals’ determination to promote exports, Raisi said, stressing that it is also intended to prohibit the country from harboring the ability to grow and export, "not to be productive and to be a consumer".

“Wherever Iranian economic actors are present and want to market and offer goods, [rivals] create obstacles so that these goods do not have a market. This is a war of wills," he explained.

“This year, all our efforts should be made towards achieving growth in production, especially knowledge-based and technology-based production,” he said, as he also noted that “only then we will witness a real growth, an increase in production, the elimination of unemployment and the production of goods in the region and the world.”