IRNA � Despite US anti-Iranian sanctions, western companies shouldn't close their businesses in Iran and ignore its wonderful opportunities, said the CEO of a UK consulting company.

'Companies are afraid, especially if they have business with the US,' Andreas Schweitzer told Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and added that the US hostile policies are short-life.

Schweitzer said that companies that are less exposed to the US see central Asia, especially Iran, as a 'phenomenal' opportunity to reach the 400 million-people marker, which can be served in and from Iran.

'The opportunity is better than the eastern Europe in the early 1990s or Eastern Germany in 1989.'

He added, 'We try to convince companies to stay and not to close down .. and we encourage companies to buy businesses in Iran now.'

Saying that the UK and the Iranian governments should provide more consulting services to British companies to attract them, he added, 'The government should support companies to be able to buy and import products.'

He hoped that after the foreign currency stabilizes, companies will prefer trade with Iran to the problems.

Under the pressure of the Zionist lobby, US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that he will withdraw his country from 'the worst' deal, i.e. the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which is internationally-accepted and unanimously approved by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Contrary to the UNSC Resolution 2231 and the will of all the other signatories of the deal, that is Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany, Trump restored the sanctions on Iran.

The European Union revived its Blocking Statute to counter the unilateral sanctions, ease Iran oil sale, and support EU companies against them.