Iran’s Non-Oil Trade Exceeds $71bln in 9 Months

The value of Iran’s non-oil trade with the outside world exceeded $71bln during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 20 – December 20), an Iranian official announced.

Speaking to FNA, Head of Iran’s Customs Office Abbas Me’marnejad said Iran exported about $31 billion worth of non-oil goods and imported approximately $40.2 billion worth of non-oil products in the said period.

Iron and steel ingots, wheat, corn fodder, and soybean meal were the main commodities imported, while liquefied propane, urea, and cement were the main goods exported, the official said.

Me’marnejad also said that Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, and India were the main importers of Iranian non-oil goods.

Senior Iranian officials underlined Tehran’s intention to further reduce its dependence on oil revenues, and said the country is exporting its non-oil products to over 151 world states now.

Iranian officials have underlined that the country plans to increase its non-oil exports to over $70bln in the current Iranian year.

Late in December 2011, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lauded the country’s growing non-oil exports, and said Iran’s non-oil exports would equal its imports in the current Iranian year.

“God willing, non-oil exports will equal (Iran’s) imports by the end of 1391 (march 19, 2013),” he said.