WANA (Jul 01) – Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Jihad has outlined the country’s position on negotiations over the procurement of essential goods, saying there is no obligation to purchase from U.S. companies and that any such transactions will take place only if Iran’s requirements—including product safety, quality, and competitive pricing—are fully met.

 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh said Iran imports approximately $16 billion worth of essential goods each year. He explained that part of these imports has historically been financed through Iranian assets frozen abroad. Because of sanctions, spending some of those funds required approval from a U.S.-appointed sanctions monitor, which is why purchases from certain American companies had already taken place in previous years.

 

According to the minister, using frozen assets to finance essential imports—if the necessary conditions are met—would benefit Iran’s economy by preserving the country’s liquid foreign currency reserves while making use of funds that have remained inaccessible for years. He stressed, however, that there is no new commitment or obligation under any recent agreements requiring Iran to buy from U.S. companies.

 

Nouri Ghezeljeh emphasized that product safety, quality, and price remain Iran’s three non-negotiable criteria for importing essential goods. If those conditions are satisfied, he said, purchasing from American companies would not be ruled out. Even if no deals are ultimately concluded, he added, opening new supply channels would strengthen Iran’s bargaining position in global markets and help secure more competitive prices.

 

The minister also noted that American companies appear to view the Iranian market as a new opportunity to expand agricultural exports following recent developments. However, he stressed that this does not mean Iran is committed to buying from them. If U.S. suppliers fail to offer competitive prices or favorable commercial terms, Iran will source its essential goods from alternative markets.

 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Nouri Ghezeljeh said that roughly 15 percent of Iran’s food security needs are met through imports, while the remaining share is supplied by domestic production, although part of Iran’s agricultural output still depends on imported inputs.

 

Addressing genetically modified (GM) products, the minister said current Iranian regulations allow the import of approved GM products that meet health and safety standards. However, he reiterated that the cultivation of genetically modified crops remains prohibited inside Iran.

 

The minister concluded by saying that some of the agricultural contracts signed with U.S. companies in previous years stemmed from agreements reached in 2022, which governed the release and use of Iran’s frozen assets. He said those arrangements were unrelated to the current negotiations and reiterated that any future cooperation with American companies would depend solely on whether they offer commercially attractive proposals that serve Iran’s national interests.