BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
Iraq is first Iran's export market, deputy head of Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce Hamid Hosseini told Trend.
According to him, the Iraq market is of great importance to Iran.
The official added that Iran's trade with Iraq improved in the 1st month of the current Iranian year (March 21 through April 20, 2021), compared to the same month last Iranian year. While in the same month last Iranian year, Iran's exports to Iraq were in a very difficult situation due to the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
Hosseini noted that the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in businessmen from both countries moving away from each other.
"An exhibition of Iranian products was held in the Najaf city of Iran in April. This showed that there is the great interest in Iranian products. And if Iran exports to Iraq, it will have enough customers and be able to compete," he said.
"Iran exported $7.45 billion worth of goods to Iraq in the last Iranian year (from March 20, 2020 through March 20, 2021). So, daily 3,000 trucks transported goods from Iran to Iraq over the last Iranian year," he said.
The official stressed that due to the coronavirus pandemic last Iranian year, there were many restrictions on trade between the two countries. Thus, Iraq has kept 5 border checkpoints on the border with Iran closed for 5 months.
Hosseini also said that smuggling also plays a role in Iran's exports to Iraq.
"Because, the goods banned by the government from being exported from Iran (such as medical masks, medicines, chicken, mutton, and other foodstuffs) are smuggled into Iraq.
According to the Iranian Customs Administration (IRICA), Iran exported 1.53 million tons of goods worth $428 million to Iraq in the first month. The exports increased by 66 percent in terms of value and 77 percent in terms of volume.
The IRICA also report that Iran exported 25.6 million tons of goods worth $7.3 billion to Iraq during last Iranian year.