Iran's central Chamber of Commerce, together with major import and export associations, has issued an extraordinary public admission that American sanctions (the blockade) are inflicting severe damage on the country's economy.
In the unusually candid statement, senior trade officials acknowledged that "the blockade cannot be overcome."
The joint declaration, signed by official trade bodies, importer and exporter unions, and leading economic figures, represents a rare public acknowledgment of Iran's economic vulnerability. The statement calls for what it describes as a critical need to return to negotiations with the United States.
According to the declaration, maritime sanctions cannot be circumvented through overland alternatives. The trade officials noted that replacing a single cargo ship would require approximately 2,500 trucks, making such substitution both impractical and prohibitively expensive.
"Land routes are vulnerable and lack sufficient capacity," the statement read, "and therefore negotiation is the only realistic solution for resuming vital trade." The declaration was published by Iran's Chamber of Commerce, an umbrella organization representing numerous entrepreneurs and industrialists across the country.
