In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Ali Tabesh stated that as per the decisions made by the Market Regulatory Work Group on Aug. 16, 2018 and notified on Sept. 5 of the same year, all responsibilities related to the authentication of order registration, supply of foreign currencies and goods, pricing, and distribution of paper of the importing companies of printing and writing paper, bulk newsprint and LWC have been lain with a committee responsive to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and said, “The Ministry of Education has cooperated with the specialized department of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, as well as the Association of Importers and the Organization of Supporting Consumers and Producers in this respect.”

The Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade added, “As per the scope of the Authorities of the Organization of Supporting Consumers and Producers and based on its inherent and supervisory duties, it has required cooperation with the relevant entities, especially with Market Regulatory Work Group, including obtaining and checking the cost prices of paper imported at official exchange rate and announces these cost prices to the Market Regulatory Work Group and the Committee of Organizing Paper.”

He restated, “At the same time, other measures taken by the Organization of Supporting Consumers and Producers in the printing and writing paper market are to notify the regulation of distributing and pricing paper to the Association of Importers, to review the permitted sales prices of some importing companies case by case, to register the designed price of imported paper on 124 portal system, and to obtain and send the lists of distributed paper to the Organizations of Industry, Mine and Trade in provinces for their supervisions.”

According to Tabesh, following the inspections of 33 thousand and 174 cases carried out by the Organizations of Industry, Mine and Trade in provinces during 2018, 1377 infringement cases worth 330 billion IR Rials were filed against importer, wholesalers, warehouses of paper and retailers violating the regulations.

He stated, “Meanwhile, 8513 cases have been inspected over the past months this year, which has led to 399 infringement cases filed against violators.”