Iran Bans Import, Distribution Of U.S. Goods

Iran has banned the import and distribution of consumer goods from the United States.

Iran’s Commerce and Industry Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said in a directive that it is necessary “to stop entry of American consumer goods and to prohibit products that symbolize the presence of the United States in the country.”

The directive was issued to the chiefs and deputy heads of organizations operating under the ministry in Iran's provinces.

The language of the directive suggests it does not apply to the private sector.

Nematzadeh said that the directive complies with a letter last month from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to President Hassan Rohani calling for a boost in domestic productivity and the implementation of a “resistive economy” that does not depend upon oil revenues.

Iranian hard-liners have warned against the prospects of a growing U.S. influence in Iran following a landmark nuclear agreement reached in July.

With reporting by IRNA and Tasnim