Our customers think Iran has fallen apart but exports are continuing, says manufacturing workerpublished at 00:11 GMT
00:11 GMT
Soroush Pakzad
BBC News Persian
Image caption,
Isfahan is home to major industries in Iran and has been under many bombardments in the past few days
I have been speaking to a businessman from a manufacturing and export company in Isfahan, Iran.
“All of our foreign customers think Iran has completely fallen apart,” he says, and customers are “extremely frightened”.
“But in reality, none of the infrastructure has been hit yet. Our factories are operating, and exports are continuing.”
The businessman said that Russian and Iraqi customers today “suddenly insisted that we deliver and ship their goods faster”.
“They were willing to pay double the logistics cost just to make sure their products leave Iran this week — especially the Iraqi clients,” he said.
“One customer told me, “In the next few days they’re going to hit Iran’s fuel and electricity industries — pack up and go to Turkey.”
Isfahan is home to major industries in Iran and has been under many bombardments in the past few days.
Some people within Iran are more hopeful for a deal.
My source says managers “believe Trump will eventually back down” and that many people are “counting on” a possible agreement between the US and Iran.
But he admits that “operations have been disrupted” – “there are no trucks available, and transportation prices are completely chaotic”.
“Since the start of the war, we’ve only been able to sign one contract; the rest have pulled back, and customers have fled,” he adds.