IRICA taking more steps to facilitate imports, combat sanctions

TEHRAN- Since the U.S. re-imposition of sanctions against Iran’s economy, Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) has been taking various measures to facilitate customs process both for exports and imports of the commodities to reduce the effect of sanctions.

IRICA Head Mehdi Mir-Ashrafi says that this round of sanctions is tougher than the previous round; so more strategic actions are needed to nullify them.

As the sanctions may make the country face shortage of basic goods, the government and IRICA have taken various measures to avoid such condition.

One major action is facilitating condition for the importers of the basic commodities, for example providing them necessary foreign currency through NIMA (Iran’s Forex Management Integrated System).

Also in August, Iran’s Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Farhad Dejpasand, in a directive addressing the IRICA head, obliged the customs administration to take measures for facilitating customs processes.

Meanwhile, following a previous directive by President Hassan Rouhani, IRICA has been providing new facilities for importers of basic goods which makes them able to clear their commodities in less than an hour.

And now a new bylaw announced by IRICA Deputy Head Mehrdad Jamal Orounaqi on Monday is to facilitate imports more in line with combatting the sanctions.

The new instructions declared to the country’s customs departments require the representatives of the related organizations to act under the supervision of IRICA for conducting necessary controls and inspections.

Controls like medical inspections and those related to quality and standards should be done under the supervision of IRICA, according to the new bylaw.

It says that the related organizations should submit the result of their controls and investigations to IRICA through the electronic system and based on the procedures defined by IRICA.

And it is emphasized that the new regulations are to protect the economy against the sanctions.

Original Article