TEHRAN- The value of Iran’s non-oil export to its neighbors rose 19 percent in the past Iranian calendar year 1401 (ended on March 20), the spokesman of Trade Development Committee of the Iranian House of Industry, Mining, and Trade announced.

Ruhollah Latifi said that 75.184 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $30.537 billion were exported to the neighboring countries in the previous year.

Iraq with the purchase of non-oil goods worth $10.238 billion (15 percent growth) and registering a historical record, Turkey with $7.459 billion (23 percent growth), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with $5.767 billion (28 percent growth), Afghanistan with $1.638 billion (11 percent drop), and Pakistan with $1.448 billion (18 percent growth), were the first five export destinations of Iranian goods among the neighbors, the official said and added that Oman with $1.087 billion, Russia with $744 million, Azerbaijan with $654 million, Armenia with $464 million, Turkmenistan with $460 million, Kuwait with $198 million, Kazakhstan with $195 million, Qatar with $124 million, Saudi Arabia with $14.7 million, and Bahrain with $10.4 million ranked next.

According to Latifi, Iran imported 21.582 million tons of non-oil products valued at $28.305 billion from its neighbor in the past year, with a 10-percent growth in worth year on year.

The UAE with sales of $18.395 billion (11 percent growth), Turkey with $6.999 billion (15 percent growth), Russia with $1.577 billion (five percent drop), Pakistan with $842 million (170 percent growth), and Oman with $619 million (29 percent growth) were the first five sources of goods sales to Iran among the neighbors, he said and added that Iraq with sales of $264 million, Kazakhstan with $125 million, Qatar with $84 million, Azerbaijan with $34 million, Afghanistan with $29 million, Turkmenistan with $28 million, Armenia with $14 million, Kuwait with $12.5 million, and Bahrain with $3.5 million are in the next ranks respectively.

Latifi, who is the former spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), further stated that Iran's non-oil trade with neighboring countries accounted for 52 percent of its total non-oil trade, exports to these countries for 57.5 percent of the total non-oil exports, and imports from them for 47.5 percent of the country's total non-oil imports in 1401, which shows the increasing importance of neighbors in Iran’s foreign trade and bringing foreign currency to meet the needs of the country under sanctions.

As previously announced by Latifi, the value of Iran’s non-oil export rose 10 percent in the past Iranian calendar year.

He said that 122.056 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $53.166 billion were exported in the previous year.

The official also announced that 37.18 million tons of non-oil commodities valued at $59.655 billion were imported to the country during the past year, with a 10 percent drop in weight, and a 13 percent rise in worth, year on year.

He went on to say that the country's non-oil trade reached 159.236 million tons worth $112.821 billion in the previous year, with an 11.2 percent growth year on year.

Increasing non-oil exports to the neighboring countries is one of the major plans that the Iranian government has been pursuing in recent years.

Iran shares land or water borders with 15 countries namely UAE, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Saudi Arabia.

From its early days, the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi attached great importance to upgrading relations with neighboring countries. Advancing economic diplomacy is the fulcrum of this orientation, known as the Neighborhood Policy.

In order to achieve the goals of this Policy, the Raisi administration initiated multiple visits and tours. President Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian visited numerous countries and used everything in their power to boost Iran’s relations.

MA