By: Abdolreza Ghofrani , Senior international analyst
For Years Iran accession to World Trade Organization (WTO) has been, and still is, the sayings of economic and trade circles as well as concerned international agencies and academic centers. Just a few weeks back a European high ranking economic official reiterated the compulsion of Iran membership in this global sheer economic body.
Certainly the viewpoint of this top official has been based on concrete economic justifications and trade logics.
At the time, however, there was no reaction, whatsoever, to this European stand on the part of this world body. We cannot but be sure that there is never ever a convincing economic justification, of course other than political reasons, for this obstruction.
Last week, Jose Luis Fernandez, a senior EU official has informed the senior officials of Iran that EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogrini declared the EU supports for Iranian accession bid to WTO in a statement released at the end of an EU economic delegation visit to Tehran particularly after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA).
It is worthy to note that not only the top EU officials and particularly Mrs. Mogrini supports Iran, as an economic power, to have accession to WTO, but most world countries and member states of the economic body back Iran membership.
Because they, admittedly, are sure that Iran accession to WTO will not only serves the global trade development but their own bilateral economic relations with this country, and that is what they are seeking for.
Delightfully this has been the case so far for years . Why on Earth and based on which economic logic and which country opposes this accession? And what is needed to be done and what is the solution?
Retrospectively, the issue has already been fully discussed and elaborated time and again. It is now crystal clear for all what is the reason for this problem.
It needs to be reiterated that the greatest obstacles has been, and still is the United States. It goes without saying, that US is just seeking to impose her policies in any international organization it has presence.
What does really United State gain through obstruction on Iran membership in WTO other than blowing damages and hardships to global economy as well as her own too? There are many economic scholars and analysts even in the United States, who have deep convictions in benefits of the membership of Iran, insisting on her accession to this body.
It is regretful and astonishing that now that nearly all countries of the world, including Iran, are the members to the somewhat political body such as the United Nations , why ,as an important and economically powerful country such as this country should not be a member state of the biggest sheer economic organization despite having the prerequisites and qualifications?
In spite of its powerful economy, because of the presence of other powerful countries in WTO , perhaps US is no longer as powerful an economy as it has been for decades, having no previous influence?
Probably US may have come to this point that her economic interests are no longer served best in this economic body and through the increase of the member states.
Even last week Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump threatened to pull the U.S. out of the World Trade Organization if membership in the global trade body interferes with his plan to impose penalties on companies that move American production offshore.
All these indicated that United States does not want to concede that everything in present world has become “globalized”, and the” globalization process” is gaining momentum and going nonstop at high speed.
It is now for European countries and other global economic powers and generally all countries of the world to pressure United States to stop rejection the accession of Iran to WTO, if they really aspire to growth and advancing economy and a global balanced system as well as avoiding the collapse of this world economic body. Undoubtedly the continuing existence of this organization will eventually serve the interests of all.
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