TEHRAN: Due to the falling prices of oil and international sanctions imposed over the country’s nuclear programs it is becoming really tough in receiving hard currency from the central bank, says the importers of Iranian commodities..
“Tens of ships are now waiting in Bandar Abbas [the main port city in southern Iran], sometimes for several weeks, and refuse to discharge cargoes until they are paid,” said one importer of essential goods. “This means we pay demurrage of as much as $30,000 per day.”
The situation is reminiscent of the chaotic situation before president Hassan Rouhani swept to power in the summer of 2013. The new government quickly adopted policies that restored stability to the currency market and discipline in payments to importers.
But importers say that after about a year of orderly payments, where they had to wait for a maximum of a week for currency, they are back to month long delays, dramatically slowing down the flow of goods into the country.
