Speaking at the National Export Day gathering, Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi addressed the country's current situation, stating: "In my view, the nation is facing both the threat of war—including military threats—and extensive economic sanctions. The reality is that the country is effectively in a state of war, and that war is ongoing. We have not reached a state of peace; we are still far from it. Consequently, all decisions must be made within the context of these wartime conditions."

Emphasizing the critical economic dimensions of this conflict, he added: "In this war—which carries significant economic implications—exporters serve as frontline commanders and soldiers; they are the nation's heroes."

Regarding the Foreign Ministry’s approach to supporting economic actors, Araghchi stated: "I have institutionalized a perspective within the Foreign Ministry that our duty is to serve economic actors—exporters, in particular. We are not doing anyone a favor; this is simply our mission and our responsibility."

The Foreign Minister continued: "In the realm of foreign policy, our role is to remove obstacles facing exporters, facilitate their operations, open up new markets, and work to resolve specific issues—project by project, issue by issue—to pave the way for their activities."

Economic Diplomacy Deputy to Intervene in Resolving Specific Exporter Challenges

Referring to the mandate of the Foreign Ministry’s Deputy for Economic Diplomacy, Araghchi noted: "While this division is tasked with addressing broad, macro-level issues, it must also engage on a case-by-case basis to intervene and resolve the specific problems encountered by exporters." Criticizing the state of cross-border traffic, Araghchi stated: "Unfortunately, instead of serving as transit points, our borders have turned into places of stagnation. We intend to visit the sites ourselves to identify the root causes of these issues—especially if they originate on the other side of the border—so that we can take action to resolve them."

Emphasizing the need to facilitate trade with neighboring countries, he noted: "Regarding tariffs, we must work toward their reduction in neighboring nations to help expand our exports."

**Exporters’ Involvement in Removing Trade Barriers**

The Minister of Foreign Affairs called on exporters to cooperate in supporting the Ministry’s objectives, stating: "I ask for your assistance—both by bringing specific challenges to our attention and by engaging directly with relevant government bodies and participating in meetings of the Headquarters for the Coordination of Economic Relations."

He also highlighted the development of "provincial diplomacy" as another initiative currently underway, adding: "While our neighbors have always been a priority in our foreign policy, I believe they have taken on even greater significance given the country's current circumstances—particularly within the economic sphere."