News - Middle East: Iran’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (MEAF) has imposed a ban on exports of Coca-Cola products from the country, citing the terms of a contract between the US-based company and its representative in Iran.

Head of MEAF’s Department of Exports Ali Akbar Shadmani issued an executive order on Saturday imposing a ban on exports of Coca-Cola products from Iran by Khoshgovar, a bottling company based in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

The order said that Khoshgovar has been licensed by Coca-Cola to distribute and sell products exclusively in the Iranian territory.

The order has been based on a request from Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization, a government body responsible for monitoring and facilitating export activities in the country.

The MEAF said all brands of non-carbonated drinks owned by Coca-Cola and produced under license in Iran by Khoshgovar will be subject to the new ban.

The ban comes months after Iran tightened trade rules for imports and re-exports of products manufactured by companies that have links to the Israeli regime or its sponsors.

That comes as no clear links have been established between trade restrictions issued in late 2023 and the new ban on exports of Coca Cola products from Iran.

Activists and groups supporting Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli regime have repeatedly called for a total ban on brands like Coca-Cola in Iran as they insist that companies like Coca-Cola have sympathized with the Israeli regime in its brutal war on Gaza.

There was no information available on how long Khoshgovar has been exporting Coca-Cola products from Iran and what have been its financial gains.

The Iranian company, which has more than 7,500 people on its payroll, has on several occasions denied it is involved in direct business with Coca-Cola.

However, the SNN news agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the ban on exports of Coca-Cola products from Iran proved that Khoshgovar has been implementing trade policies issued by the mother company in the United States.

It said the citation of the contract between Khoshgovar and Coca-Cola in MEAF’s executive order vindicated claims that Coca-Cola has been using a special waiver from US sanctions on Iran  to do business and make profit in the country.

 

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