Iran’s exports to the neighbouring countries including Central Asian, CIS, and Arab states have witnessed a significant growth in the first half of the current calendar year (starting March 21, 2011), said an official with Iran’s Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO). Iran’s exports to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey grew by 34 percent during the first six months of the year while the country’s exports to Arab states registered a 24-percent increase in the same period, Deputy Head of TPO for Marketing and Foreign Relations Affairs Reza Tofighi noted. From March 21 to September 23, he added, the value of Iran’s exports to Jordan and Syria increased by 27 percent and 13 percent, respectively as compared to the corresponding period last year. “Iran’s H1 exports to Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian Federation soared by 50 percent to hit 172.69 million dollars,” Tofighi said. The official also pointed out that 839 million dollars worth of commodities have been exported to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) during the abovementioned period, 17 percent higher than the same period a year ago. Iran’s exports to the Central Asian countries including Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan have also increased by 10, 14, and 6 percent respectively, Tofighi added.