Zurich University Professor: Iran Can Be Big Winner of 2014

A Switzerland-based university professor said Iran can have a bright economic future in the New Year and win the best economy prize of 2014.
“Iran can be a big winner of 2014, if it is fully to rejoin the world economy,” Professor of Zurich University Michel Antoine Habib told FNA.

He pointed to the new political developments taking place in Iran, and said, “I think it would be wonderful if it were possible to find a way for Iran to rejoin the world economy.”

Professor Antoine Habib pointed to his stay in Iran during 1976-78, and stressed that Iranians are intelligent and smart people.

Last week, Head of Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce Yahya Al-e Eshaq categorically rejected the claims that the US-led sanctions imposed against Iran have crippled the country’s economy.

“Only 30 percent of the country’s (economic) problems are related to the sanctions,” the head of Tehran’s chamber of commerce said.

Al-e Eshaq pointed to the remarks made by some regional officials who claim that if Iran resumes its relations with the US its economic problems will be resolved, and said, “Relations with the US do not resolve all problems and those who assert that resumption of ties with the US will solve the problems are wrong.”

In similar remarks last year, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani dismissed the Western claims that sanctions have left huge and crushing impacts on the Iranian economy, saying that boycotts and embargos contribute a meager share to the country’s economic problems.

“The westerners make much hue and cry about sanctions sometimes…but the reality is that a little part of our economic problems is related to the sanctions …,” Larijani said in an interview with FNA in October 2012.

The speaker said “sanctions have added a 20% share” to Iran’s economic problems, cautioning that the West has launched a propaganda campaign to convince the world public opinion that sanctions have disturbed Iranian economy.