TEHRAN - The value of Iran’s non-oil exports reached $20.924 billion in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), up 21 percent compared to the last year’s same period, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) announced.

According to Alireza Moghadasi, Iran exported 44 million tons of non-oil commodities in the mentioned five months which was 3.5 percent less than the figure for the previous year’s same period, IRNA reported.

Meanwhile, some 14 million tons of goods valued at $21.665 billion were imported into the country, indicating a 19-percent rise in terms of value compared to the last year’s same time span, he said.

The weight of the imported goods declined by 8.5 percent, year on year, the official added.

In total, the Islamic Republic traded about 58 million tons of non-oil goods worth $42.589 billion with its trade partners in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year, up about 23 percent in terms of value.

Iran's top export destinations during this period were China, Iraq, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, and India, according to Moghadasi.

Liquid propane, methanol, liquefied natural gas, polyethylene, iron, and steel ingots were among the top exported items in the said five months.

The country’s top five sources of imports during these five months were the UAE, China, Turkey, India, and Russia.

As previously announced by Moghadasi, the value of Iran’s non-oil trade rose 38 percent in the past Iranian calendar year 1400, as compared to the previous year.

Moghadasi put the country’s non-oil trade at 162 million tons worth $100 billion in the past year.

He said that Iran exported 122 million tons of non-oil products worth $48 billion in the previous year, which was $14 billion (41 percent) more than the figure for the preceding year.

The country's non-oil trade record in 1400 was reached while the toughest sanctions were imposed on Iran, but thanks to God and the efforts of entrepreneurs, producers, and the cooperation of foreign trade-related organizations, a historical record was achieved in the past year which was unprecedented in recent decades, the official has underlined.

EF/MA