Iran’s foreign trade, excluding oil exports, stood at $58.7 billion in the 10-month period leading to Jan. 19. According to Mirashrafi, exports accounted for $28.1 billion and imports reached $30.6 billion. Compared with the corresponding period of last year, exports registered a 20% decline in value. Imports saw a 16% decrease in value year-on-year.
Main export destinations over the period included China with non-oil goods worth $7.3 billion, Iraq with $6.4 billion, the UAE with $3.7 billion, Turkey with $2.0 billion and Afghanistan with $1.9 billion. “These five countries imported non-oil goods worth $21.3 billion from Iran, which account for 76% of the value of Iran’s overall exports over the period under review,” he said.
Major importers were again China with $7.9 billion, the UAE with $7.4 billion, Turkey with $3.4 billion, India with $1.8 billion and Germany $1.5 billion. The IRICA chief noted that goods worth $22.0 billion were imported from these five countries, which account for 72% of the value of Iran’s total imports over the period.
“A total of 5.8 million tons of cargo were transited across the country over the period, indicating a 9.5% decline YOY,” he added.