Iran’s East Azerbaijan Doubles Non-Oil Exports Revenues in 1 Year

The value of non-oil exports from Iran’s Northwestern province of East Azerbaijan has surpassed $2.38 billion in the first 9 months of the current local calendar year (March 21-December 22) which shows a 100% rise in comparison with the figures from the last year.

East Azerbaijan Customs Supervisor and General Manager of Tabriz Customs Department Leily Orangi said on Tuesday that in the first 9 months of this year, more than 2 million tons of goods worth $2.38 billion were exported from the province's customs, showing an increase of 30 and 100 percent in terms of weight and value, respectively as compared to last year's corresponding period.

Cast iron, iron and steel, mineral fuels, mineral oils, and distillate products, plastic materials made of these materials, edible fruits, Iron or steel cast iron, copper and copper products, glass and glass products, machinery and mechanical components and parts, cereal and cocoa products and their products are the most commodities exported by the province's customs, Orangi added.

These products are mostly exported to Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bulgaria, and Italy, the official said.

Orangi went on to say that in the first six months of the current Iranian year (will end on March 19, 2020), more than one million tons of goods worth $1.4 billion were exported from Tabriz Customs, ranking first in terms of weight and value among the province's customs.

The secretary of the East Azerbaijan Cross-Border Trade Coordination noted that in the first 9 months of this year, about 400,000 tons of goods worth $900 million were imported through the province's customs.

Last Wednesday,

Iranian Deputy Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Hossein Modarres Khiabani said that the country's trade balance stands at $65bln in the past 9 months despite the US sanctions.

Over $32.5 billion worth of goods were exported from Iran over the past nine months, as the country's trade balance stands at $65 billion, taking into account the total imports, Modarres Khiabani said on Wednesday.

His comments came as Iran is speeding up efforts to diversify its economy away from oil as normal crude sales have fallen significantly as a result of the American sanctions.