Considering a 5 percent increase in Iran's non-oil exports and a 5 percent decrease in imports, the nation's trade balance in the first 11 months of the current Iranian calendar year (began March 20, 2009) has improved in comparison to the same period in previous year, the Iranian economy minister said here on Saturday.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting quoted Shamseddin Hosseini as saying that the country exported over 48.5 million tons of non-oil goods worth $22.5 billion in the mentioned period, which shows a 33 percent increase in terms of volume and a 5 percent rise in terms of value compared to the previous year's figure.
"Iran also imported $49 million worth of goods in the mentioned period," he added.
Iran to issue €1m bonds on March 6
Hosseini, also the economic speaker of the government, said that Iran will start the issuance of bonds worth 1 billion euros on March 6 to help finance the development of the South Pars gas field.
"The bonds are to finance the development of the phases 15, 16, 17 and 18," he added.
South Pars field is a gas condensate field located on the Persian Gulf. It is the world's largest gas field, shared between Iran and Qatar.
This gas field covers an area of 9700 square kilometers, of which 3700 square kilometers (South Pars) is in Iranian territorial waters and 6000 square kilometers (North Dome) is in Qatari territorial waters.