Economic bodies call on govt. to support businesses against coronavirus outbreak

Heads of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), Iran Chamber of Cooperatives (ICC), and Iran Chamber of Guilds (ICG), in a letter to President Hasan Rouhani, called for special measures to be taken for supporting various economic sectors at least until the end of the next summer (September 22, 2020) amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In the letter, the chamber heads underlined the fast spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) and its negative impact on manufacturing, services, education, trade, etc., and pointed to the possibility of severe recession in these sectors.

ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, Head of ICG Saieed Mombeini and Bahman Abdolahi, head of ICC, urged the government to take necessary actions in order to prevent the escalation of the economic crisis, especially in the fields of production, trade, services, and transportation and distribution networks.

In the said letter, they called for special decisions and supporting acts such as extending the facility installment dues, supplying working capital, tax exemption or deduction for especial cases, providing resources and facilities with low-interest rates for people and traders, etc.

Iran has reported 77 deaths from COVID-19, and 2,336 confirmed cases of infection, as of Tuesday.

The coronavirus outbreak comes at a time when Iran is already facing the economic pressures resulted from the U.S. sanctions on the country.

source: Tehran Times