Ali Akbar Shadmani, the esteemed Head of MEAF’s Department
of Exports, issued an official executive order on Saturday. This order enforces
a ban on the exportation of Coca-Cola products from Iran by Khoshgovar, a
bottling company situated in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
The directive states that Khoshgovar has acquired the
exclusive license from Coca-Cola to distribute and market their products within
the territorial boundaries of Iran.
This statement is a result of a formal request submitted by
the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, a governmental entity tasked with
overseeing and facilitating export-related activities within the country.
The MEAF announced that the new ban will apply to all
varieties of non-carbonated beverages from Coca-Cola, which are manufactured
under license in Iran by Khoshgovar.
The ban was implemented following Iran's recent enforcement
of stricter trade regulations on the import and re-export of goods produced by
companies associated with the Israeli government or its supporters.
No clear connections have been established between trade
restrictions issued in late 2023 and the recent ban on exports of Coca Cola
products from Iran.
Activists and groups
supporting Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli regime have repeatedly
urged for a complete ban on brands like Coca-Cola in Iran, claiming that
companies like Coca-Cola have shown support for the Israeli regime in its harsh
war on Gaza.
There is no available information on the duration of
Khoshgovar's export of Coca-Cola products from Iran and its financial gains.
The Iranian company, which employs over 7,500 people, has
denied involvement in direct business with Coca-Cola on multiple occasions.
Nevertheless, the SNN news agency asserted in a commentary
on Saturday that the prohibition on exports of Coca-Cola products from Iran
demonstrated that Khoshgovar had been implementing trade policies issued by the
parent company in the United States.
It stated that the reference to th” contract between
Khoshgovar and Coca-Cola in MEAF’s executive order substantiated allegations
that Coca-Cola had been utilizing a special waiver from US sanctions on Iran to
conduct business and generate profit in the country.