Biting the hand?! Iran announces boycott of 227 U.S. products ahead of sanctions release

The Iranian government has published a boycott list of American-made products ahead of the highly-anticipated lifting of sanctions which expects a flooding of foreign goods into the country, an Iranian news agency reported Monday. Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization has made public the names of 227 American-made goods that are now on an import ban list, Tasnim News, a media platform closely aligned with the government, said. The list, which was seen and translated by The Foreign Desk, includes a vast array of products such as cigarettes, ketchup, sugar-free chewing gum, toilet paper, furniture, electronic appliances and defense paraphernalia including tanks and armored vehicles, was spread across the country with a directive to follow the boycott, according to Tasnim. The ban comes after Minister of Mine, Industry and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh announced that Iran must stop the entry of U.S. goods, the news site reported. In preparation for the expected overflow of foreign-made goods into Iran once sanctions are removed, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote to President Hassan Rouhani, pushing for Iran’s government to establish an “economy of resistance,” and curtailing the import of U.S.-produced goods. U.S. companies and investors, meanwhile, are showing excitement about Iran’s entrance into the global market with Apple reportedly in discussions with Iranian distributors as well as large companies such as Boeing and General Electric attempting to enter the country.