Asre Khodro: managing director of Renault Pars announces about Renault’s will-power to be present and to expand its activities in Iran. Peyman Kargar emphasizes that although sanctions have created some difficulties for collaborations between both sides but eventuallythese problems will be resolved.
Based on Asre Khodro’s report, quoting ISNA, He said: Renault is trying to become a strategic partner in Iran’s automobile industry and beside its continuous presence it will also expand its activities in Iran.
About the effects of some foreign sanctions on Renault’s activities, the managing director of Renault Pars declared: since about a year ago, economic sanctions have been under consideration and it has made economic activities for us, part’s manufacturers and carmakers somewhat difficult.
He continued: the Renault Corporation has planned a long term and strategic presence in Irantherefore we must work together with our Iranian partners in order to resolve problems arising from the sanctions.
Responding to question; despite his statements, the French government has been one the most insistent countries that debated the sanctions against Iran, he said: in this connection there are two subjects. Political matters are not permanent, they come and go. The presidential election of France is also ahead of us and these matters change anyhow. Beside in every country there is a political system and an economic system, independent of political issues, economy remains intact.
Kargar said that activities associatedto automobile industry in France are absolutely not related to the sanctions and reminded: of course because of some problems like money transactions in banking systems, Renault’s activities in Iran has become difficult but automobile industry itself has not been (and will not be) a part of the sanctions. Therefor continuation of Renault’s activities faces no problem.
Managing director of this Iranian-French company continued: despite all problems, Renault has decided to stay by the side of its clientsand friends for a long term. Furthermore our decision is to make Renault a strategic partner of automobile industry in Iran ergo in addition to remain in Iran we have decided to expand our activities here.
He added: our goal is (unlike many other countries) absolutely not to only continue our current activities in Iran and look elsewhere to increase and expand our business and if in the future problems are solved then come back here and expand our business and activities.
“Currently we are implementing a few projects in countries such as Brazil, Morocco and Russia” having said that, the managing director of Renault Pars specified: but Iran is the main priority of Renault. In the past it was not but at the present time it has become among our priorities.
Responding to the question that if Iran’s automobile markets are so attractive then why Japanese and Korean car manufacturers has decreased their activities in Iran, he explained: Japanese and Korean car manufacturers have absolutely not stopped doing business in Iran neither. The Korean carmaker is currently implementing a new project in Iran and Japanese company is also carrying out some projects along with Iran Khodro. Of course these companies are facing problems too but they have never called a halt to their activities.
He continued: there were pressures on Renault concerning the sanctions too. There were even questioned about why Renault is doing business in Iran and we answered that the sanctions are related to other issues and do not concern automobile industry.
Renault’s representative added: these pressures exited but eventually Renault decided to continue its presence in Iran. Obviously the French government has granted permission to do some joint activities with Iran and automobile industry is one of them. The French Government has announced that continuation of our activity in Iran will not be a problem.
Emphasizing that importation of Renault’sluxurious automobiles will not be affected by the sanctions, Kargar specified: the processes related to importation of luxurious automobiles were carried out under the situation affected by sanctions. It has been four or five months that we have presented these automobiles under the circumstances of new sanctions.
He added: we will neither stop nor limit the importation of luxurious automobiles, we will rather increase them.
He notified: Renault is an international corporation and is not considered as a French company. At the present time, Renault has many activities in different countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India, Korea and Morocco. Generally we can say that political issues and economic system are differentiated. According to economic system of Renault some countries are given priority and importance. In fact Renault is not just trying to sell some of its products and leave. On the contrary, it seeks long term and fundamental presence in Iran.
He specified: of course it is possible that because of sanctions we would face even more problems in the future but they will all be resolved eventually. We will possibly need to cooperate with our Iranian partners and even central bank or the Government of Iran to solve these problems. But at the end of the day there is nothing to worry about.
Managing director of Renault Pars declared: throughout the next three years, we will present our Iranian clientswith qualitative vehicles with high safety standards and under the best conditions. These are fundamental enterprises that will make the future.
