24 Nov 2024
Monday 18 September 2017 - 09:29
Story Code : 276087

Iran nuclear deal opened access to goods, not jobs, poll finds

Bloomberg - Irans nuclear deal with world powers and subsequent sanction relief have provided better access to foreign goods, but few locals believe it has led to more jobs, a new poll shows.

Seventy percent of 700 Iranians surveyed nationwide by phone said multinationals had been slow to commit to trading with or investing in Iran, and most respondents cited concern about U.S. pressure as the reason, according to asurveyby Toronto-based IranPoll in partnership with Bourse & Bazaar, an online business publication focused on the country.

While 43 percent of respondents found goods manufactured by multinationals have become more accessible, some 57 percent said the firms havent created more jobs for locals and 43 percent perceived their level of investment as unchanged, according to the report, provided to Bloomberg ahead of its release.

The findings suggest President Hassan Rouhani, who started his second term last month, may struggle to deliver on campaign promises.Rouhani won a second term by pledging to build on the accord,which only came into effect last year, by attracting more foreign investment and helping boost employment.

Instead, the poll suggests Iranians arent seeing tangible change, and the fate of the accord is now in question as the U.S. applies additional sanction andlobbiesEuropean signatories to add restrictions on Irans nuclear program. Even so, some 62 percent of respondents said they still approved of the agreement.

Talks Ahead

While Iran has struck major deals inenergyandtransportation, many companies and major banks have been hesitant to explore business opportunities, citing political uncertainty stemming from Donald Trumps U.S. presidency and the risk of running into other sanctions.

Foreign ministers of the seven nations that signed the deal including the U.S., Iran, the U.K. and France are to meet Sept. 20 on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly debate in New York. The meeting would serve to discuss the deals flaws as seen by the U.S. and will have Iran emphasize what it considers U.S. violations of the agreement, American and Iranian officials have said.

Details of the survey, which was conducted in August in cities across Irans31 provinces, will be presented at next monthsEurope-Iran Forum, which brings together businesses working in or with an interest in Iran.
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