Iran Approves "Sailors' Trade" Procedure at Konarak and Zarabad Ports

According to Mayarjal News, Mojib Hasani, the Sistan and Baluchestan Governorate's deputy for economic affairs coordination and regional development, announced that the national Article 4 Working Group had agreed to add the two ports to the list. He said the decision was made at a meeting of the working group in Tehran, chaired by the head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran. According to Hasani, the addition was approved at the request of the provincial governor and under Article 12 of the province's development implementation document, with the aim of responding to the demands of coastal residents and strengthening maritime trade activity. Stressing the role of maritime activity in the economy and livelihoods of coastal communities, Hasani said sailors, dhow owners, and port-dependent businesses make up an important part of the province's coastal economy. He said that developing the sailors' trade procedure could help facilitate legal trade and create more economic opportunities for local residents. He added that the province's extensive maritime capacities can become a lasting economic advantage only if local people and economic actors are able to use them effectively. For this reason, he said, removing obstacles to maritime trade and following up on coastal residents' demands are among the provincial administration's priorities. Hasani also stressed that the start of the sailors' trade procedure at the two ports is conditional on completing legal steps and complying with customs rules, including the issuance of a warehouse receipt and customs approval.