Calls grow louder from Iran’s industry leaders for India and international bodies to mediate financial and shipping barriers imposed by Western sanctions.
Top Iranian manufacturers are appealing to India and global organisations to help dismantle US-imposed sanctions that are paralysing their international trade capabilities. At the 7th edition of the Iran Expo, business leaders from major firms, including the Mobarakeh Steel Group and Modiran Polymer, expressed frustration over trade restrictions that continue to isolate Iran from global markets.
Speaking to Indian news agency ANI, Mohammad Kaboli, Managing Director of Modiran Polymer, said, “India is a good country, but we can’t do business due to US sanctions. We have to rely on transit routes like Dubai, because financial transactions and direct shipping remain blocked.”
The sanctions, particularly those targeting Iran’s financial systems such as SWIFT, have severely limited the country’s ability to engage in straightforward trade. Companies must often resort to circuitous and inefficient routes for both payment and logistics, increasing costs and reducing competitiveness.
“Our request to the Indian government is simple: make it easier for companies like ours to export,” Kaboli said, adding that Iranian exporters are eager to engage with Indian buyers, many of whom showed interest at the Expo. “We want a system that allows smooth money transfers. Right now, there’s no official channel to send or receive payments from India to Iran.”
Abouzar Alvandi, Export Head for Far East and Middle Asia at Mobarakeh Steel Group — the Middle East’s largest steel producer — echoed those concerns. He highlighted that most exports are handled by intermediaries due to fears among global partners of falling foul of US sanctions. “End users are reluctant to work with us directly,” he said.
Mobarakeh Steel, which supplies over half of Iran’s domestic steel and is a global leader in Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production, is urging India to allow limited market access for Iranian steel products. “India is the world’s second-largest steel producer and is rapidly expanding its infrastructure. We’re not asking for dominance — just a small share of India’s steel imports, particularly semi-finished products like steel slabs,” Alvandi said.
Despite their geographical proximity and long-standing cultural ties, Iran and India’s trade relations remain constrained due to external pressure, especially from the US. Indian businesses, too, are wary of engaging with Iranian suppliers due to fears of secondary sanctions. But Iran’s industry leaders hope that India, as a sovereign power and emerging global player, will take a more assertive role in helping carve out exceptions or mechanisms for humanitarian and essential trade.
Alvandi also shed light on the maritime logistics crisis Iranian exporters face. “Very few shipping companies are willing to dock at Iranian ports. This reduces our ability to deliver on time and increases overall shipping costs,” he explained. These restrictions, he noted, push Iranian companies to operate via costly and less transparent third-party arrangements, further dampening their competitiveness.
Yet, both Kaboli and Alvandi were optimistic about the role trade expos like Iran Expo can play. “This is more than just a business showcase,” said Alvandi. “It’s a rare opportunity to directly engage with potential buyers and explain the quality and value we bring. For Iranian exporters, this is one of the few channels left to break the sanctions-imposed isolation.”
As Iran continues to engage in diplomatic talks with the US and other global powers, the hope from the Iranian side is that economic diplomacy — particularly through regional partnerships like that with India — can serve as a bridge until formal sanctions are lifted.
The ball, they argue, is now in India’s court.
