TEHRAN- More than 33 million tons of commodities, at the value of 817 trillion rials (about $21.8 billion) were traded on the physical market at Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME) during the past Iranian calendar year 1395 (ended on March 20, 2017), showing 73 percent increase compared to its preceding year, IRNA reported on Saturday.

The announced figure shows a 26-percent annual growth in terms of volume.

As previously reported, IME plans to go beyond the Iranian market by expanding its international collaboration with the suppliers, traders and other mercantile exchanges across the globe.

The Iranian body wants to boost its cooperation with the other exchanges and absorb the suppliers to exclude intermediaries because of years of isolation from the world trading system under the international financial embargo.

HJ/MA