Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 25
By Fatih Karimov– Trend:
China, Iran’s traditional trade partner from the sanctions period, has maintained its position in the post-sanctions era.
China replaced the EU as Iran’s largest trade partner, as the international sanctions forced the Islamic Republic to shift its trade eastward, and expand economic ties with countries such as China and India.
Almost two years after removal of the international sanctions against Tehran, as a result of the nuclear deal , signed between the Islamic Republic and the six world powers in 2015, China is still Iran’s top trade partner.
Over 20 percent of Iran’s non-oil exports went to China in the first seven months of the current fiscal year(March 20-Oct. 22), according to the statistics, released by Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI).
Iran’s total non-oil exports (including gas condensate) in the first seven months of current Iranian fiscal year (started March 20, 2017) stood at $24.71 billion, which indicates a fall of 2.2 percent, year-on-year.
During the period, Iran exported $5.022 billion worth of goods to China, 2 percent more, compared to the same period of the preceding year.
Iran also exported $4.013 billion worth of goods to Iraq, which marks 16.2 percent of Iran's total exports’ value. Iran’s exports to Iraq registered a fall by 11 percent.
The UAE ($3.471 billion), South Korea (with $2.444 billion), Afghanistan ($1.584 billion), India ($1.542 billion), Turkey ($1.062 billion), Pakistan ($450 million), Oman($340 million), Indonesia($295 million), Thailand ($294 million), Taiwan($282 million) and Japan($262 million) were the other top importers of Iranian goods.
The exports to Turkey, which was fourth target of Iran’s non-oil exports last fiscal year, had registered a huge fall by 58 percent.
The country’s exports to the UAE, Japan and Oman also registered fall of 16, 63 and 14 percent. Iran’s exports to India also witnessed a fall by 6 percent in terms of value, year on year.
Meanwhile, exports to Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan witnessed rise by 298, 62 and 18 percent, respectively.
Iran’s exports to South Korea and Afghanistan had also increased by 25 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
Five countries, including China, Iraq, UAE, South Korea and Afghanistan have imported 67 percent of Iran's total non-oil goods (including gas condensate) in terms of value, in the 7-month period.
Two European countries, Italy and Germany were also among top destination of Iran’s non-oil exports.
Germany imported $165 million worth of goods from Iran in the period and stood at 18th place, meanwhile Italy ranked 16th with $188 million worth of imports.
Iran’s exports to Germany witnessed a rise by 7 percent in terms of value, however Italy’s imports from the Islamic Republic decreased by 39 percent.