TEHRAN- The head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said that the 6th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRAN EXPO 2024) will be held with the aim of changing the direction of the country's trade.

Making the remarks in a press conference on Tuesday, Mehdi Zeyghami also mentioned exports with a focus on knowledge-based products as the other major objective of the exhibition.

Stating that Iran will become a knowledge-based export country, the official reiterated that changing the direction of the country's trade by holding the 6th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRAN EXPO 2024) is the goal of the 13th government.

Underlining that the 5th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRAN EXPO 2023) was a big step in the direction of expanding the country's export of non-oil products and developing trade relations with the world, the TPO head said this year's exhibition aims to target more countries especially those from Africa, East Asia, and Latin America, adding that the feedback has been very impressive so far.

The 5th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRAN EXPO 2023) was held at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds on May 7-10, 2023.

Zeyghami further mentioned foodstuffs, medicine and medical equipment, and industrial and petrochemical products as major export groups to be offered in the 6th exhibition.

He said that the number of those invited to the event will be doubled in this edition, and it is expected that traders from 90 countries will attend the exhibit.

IRAN EXPO 2024 to discover new export markets

Addressing the same press conference, the head of the IRAN EXPO organizing headquarters, said that the 6th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRAN EXPO 2024) will be held to discover and create new export markets, as well as promote and develop existing markets.

Majid Takbiri said that the 6th exhibition will be held as the biggest export event of the country, where more than 3,000 foreign traders and businessmen from more than 90 countries will be present.

The first step in the development of economic and trade relations is the introduction of domestic capacities and capabilities and mutual recognition of the capacities of other countries, he noted, adding,

“At IRAN EXPO 2023, we saw that those active in the economy sector welcomed this event unprecedentedly”.

In this edition of the exhibit, the focus is on six domestic product groups including the food industry, agriculture, fisheries, industry, handwoven carpets, handicrafts and tourism, medicine, medical equipment, laboratory equipment, and chemical products, construction industry, and technical-engineering services, and petrochemicals, he further explained.

Annual export of knowledge-based products planned to reach $4b

Addressing the same press conference, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari emphasized the importance of increasing the export of knowledge-based products, and said that the export of such products is planned to reach $4 billion in the next Iranian calendar year 1403 (begins on March 21, 2024).

The export of non-oil products from the country is now different from 4-5 years ago, and the work is based on knowledge-based products at present, he said, adding, “According to the latest statistics, we exported knowledge-based goods worth $2 billion, which we hope will reach $4 billion next year.”

“Currently, the government's policies are based on non-oil exports, especially knowledge-based goods, and we have an active presence in most countries”, the official noted.

The deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy further announced that a free trade agreement with Eurasia will be signed on December 25 in St. Petersburg, adding, “Our trade with Eurasia was five billion dollars, which has increased by almost 25-30 percent.”

Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) reached a preferential trade agreement in 2018 based on which about 862 commodity items became subject to preferential tariffs.

Photo: TPO Head Mehdi Zeyghami (C), IRAN EXPO Organizing Headquarters Head Majid Takbiri (R), and Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari (L)