By Nashir Mansor
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Iran’s economy continues to be resilient despite facing various crippling sanctions from the United States (US), said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Zarif, who was in Malaysia for a one-day visit, said Iran managed to weather the sanctions by undertaking specific programmes and relying on its resources.
“Iran has programmes to make our economy resilient. We succeeded in part…we did not succeed in other parts.
“Now, we are focusing on a resilient economy and we believe that the only way to survive the sanctions pressure is not to isolate yourself from the rest the world, but (by relying) on your own resources.
“That is why we have been able since last year – when we suffered the shock from United States’ withdrawal (from nuclear deal) – recovered; not fully, but partially recovered. We lost 70 per cent of our currency (value) but now we have recovered 30 per cent,” he said during an exclusive interview with Bernama International News Service Thursday.
Tensions have been rising between Iran and the US since President Donald Trump left the nuclear deal in 2018. Since then, the US has embarked on a diplomatic and economic campaign to put pressure on Iran in order to renegotiate the nuclear deal.
As part of the campaign, the US has re-imposed sanctions on exports of Iranian crude oil, which has sent Iran’s economy into a nosedive.
Zarif is confident Iran’s economy will continue to recover with various initiatives undertaken both by the government and private sector and with the people’s support.
Asked about his plan to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next month following a sanction imposed on him by the US early August, Zarif said he is planning to attend the meeting.
“United Nations has obligation…to allow (UN) member states to operate freely in New York in their efforts to participate in UN. I am supposed to enjoy that freedom. I will see whether the US will violate their obligations or whether it will comply.
“The president (is) planning to go (attend the UNGA) and I am planning to go too, but we will see,” he added.
On his visit to Malaysia, Zarif said the visit had given him chance to discuss various opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Tehran and Kuala Lumpur which both countries have yet to fully exploit.
“Also, both Malaysia and Iran are important members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)…(we) have possibilities to work together for cooperation in the unity of Islamic ummah in meeting challenges facing the Islamic ummah,” he said.
During his visit to Malaysia, Zarif also met with his counterpart Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and paid a courtesy call on Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
–NNN-BERNAMA
