TEHRAN – Iran exported 24.6 million tons of non-oil goods worth $8.24 billion in the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21–May 21), according to the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).

Foroud Asgari, who also serves as deputy economy minister, said the volume of exports rose by 4.4 percent year-on-year, although the total value saw a marginal decline of 0.11 percent. The average customs value of each exported ton fell by 4.3 percent to $335.

Among the major non-oil exports were liquefied propane ($643 million), natural gas ($455 million), liquefied butane ($452 million), petroleum bitumen ($419 million), and methanol ($388 million).

Petrochemical products accounted for 5.7 million tons valued at $2.22 billion, reflecting a four percent increase in volume and a three percent rise in value compared to the same period last year.

China remained Iran’s top export destination, receiving $2.43 billion worth of goods, followed by Iraq ($1.5 billion), the United Arab Emirates ($1.09 billion), Turkey ($673 million), Afghanistan ($374 million), Pakistan ($322 million), and Oman ($305 million).

Asgari also provided data on imports, which reached 5.9 million tons worth $8.47 billion in the same two-month period. While the import volume rose by 1.16 percent, the value dropped by 7.8 percent year-on-year.

The average value of imported goods stood at $1,431 per ton, down nine percent from the previous year.

Top imports included unrefined gold ($860 million), corn feed ($657 million), rice ($289 million), sunflower seed oil ($215 million), and soybeans ($211 million).

Iran’s main import partners were the UAE ($2.6 billion), China ($2.2 billion), Turkey ($1.37 billion), Germany ($308 million), India ($291 million), the Netherlands ($215 million), and Switzerland ($190 million).

EF/MA