Iran is prohibiting the entry of consumer goods from the United States, according to Iranian Minister of Commerce and Industry Reza Nematzadeh on Thursday.
The Iranian government implemented the ban on American products as the country prepares for the lifting of economic sanction under the nuclear deal with Western Powers, signed in July.
In his directive, Nematzadeh instructed all his deputies to implement the ban on the sales of U.S. consumer goods in stores across the country. According to the Commerce and Industry Minister, his directive complies with the letter of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to President Hassan Rouhani last month.
A local media reported on Tuesday that the Iranian police closed a fried chicken shop using the brand name of KFC. According to the news site of Irans Young Journalists Club, the police closed the ‘ KFC Halal’ restaurant because it is operating under a false license.
Laurie Schalow, a spokesperson for KFC said they were shocked on the report that an illegitimate KFC opened in Tehran. According to her, “No franchise rights have been granted to any party in Iran. We are in contact with local authorities and external advisers and will be filing a legal action against any company or individuals claiming to have rights to open KFC.”
Iran aims to boost domestic production
Khameini told President Rouhani that the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under the Iran nuclear deal should lead to self-reliant economy.
The Iranian Supreme leader demanded the government to boost domestic production, which should have been done a few years ago to withstand economic sanctions.
President Rouhani assured Khameini that his government would consider and observe his guidance.
Nematzadeh said, “In order to boost national production, it is necessary to stop entry of American consumer goods and prohibit products that symbolize the presence of the United States in the country.”
Anti-American sentiment alive in Iran
The anti-American sentiment in Iran is still alive despite the nuclear deal. During the anniversary of the US embassy seizure in the country on Wednesday, thousands of Iranian protesters burned the American flag and shouted “Death to America.”
Prosecutor General Ebrahim Raisi spoke about the US atrocities ranging from slavery, the killings of 30,000 Iraqis, to phone tapping during the demonstration outside the former US embassy and across Iran.
In 1979, a group of Iranian students stormed the US embassy and hostage 52 Americans for 444 days. Some of the hostages were beaten, tortured, and event underwent a mock execution.
Raisi said, “A day will come when they will have to answer in court for their atrocities.” The Iranian protesters gathered for the “National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance.”
A majority of legislators in Iran said the government would not drop the “Death to America” slogan, which is being chanted during their weekly, Friday prayers in mosques and protests.
According to them, “The martyr-nurturing nation of Iran is not at all prepared to abandon the slogan of ‘Death to America’ under the pretext of a nuclear agreement.”
Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei’s adviser on international affairs also stated, “Iran has not and will not have direct or indirect cooperation with the United States.”
On Tuesday, a state television reported that Iran arrested a Lebanese-American suspected of having connections to the US intelligence community. An official in Washington clarified that the person identified as Nezar Zaka was a US resident, not a citizen
The Iranian government suspected Zaka of having “multiple close ties to the US military and intelligence communities.” Currently, Iran is holding four Iranian-Americans including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who was accused of spying.
