Iran Exports to Oman Quintupled in 5 Years
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Head of Iran-Oman Chamber of Commerce Mohsen Zarrabi says after imposition of the U.S. sanctions, Oman’s ports replaced ports of some countries which stopped cooperation with Iran and it helped the Iran-Oman trade to increase significantly.
Speaking to ILNA, Zarrabi said that the volume of imports from Oman stood at $70m in 2016 and the figure reached $260m in 2017 and it was raised to $413m in 2018 but this does not mean that Iran’s imports from Oman have increased,instead Oman’s ports have acted as transshipment ports for Iranian goods.
He reiterated that the political relation of Iran and Oman has been good even before the Islamic Revolution, and Oman has been the only country in the region which has always stood beside Iran either during the imposed war or sanctions but the economic relation of both states has not been acceptable in the past years especially till 2012.
Zarrabi noted that despite good political relation, the trade volume is not satisfactory and Iran accounted only for 0.7% of Oman’s imports due to lack of proper infrastructures.
He added that in 2012, the Iran-Oman Chamber of Commerce was established to facilitate bilateral trade between both states and the chamber could solve issues like visa, direct marine line and flight.
Zarrabi added that when the chamber was set up, the total trade volume of both states was $221m while the export volume was around $149m.
He further said fortunately the bilateral trade volume has become fivefold in five years, reiterating that once getting Oman visa was difficult and expensive but it was eased for Iranians.
Zarrabi also pointed to the launch of 9 direct flights between Muscat and Iranian cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Chabahar, Qeshm, Kish, Mashhad, Lar and Lamard before the outbreak of the Coronavirus, noting that because of the virus pandemic, all air connections of Oman with the world were cut.
On the marine transport, he said after the virus pandemic and closure of borders, Oman enhanced its marine transportation with Iran because it was the cheapest way for imports of goods and medicines.
Zarrabi added that during the U.S. sanctions, Oman has always increased its trade with Iran and currently Iran’s share of Oman’s imports has moved from 0.7% to 3.6% and Iran can enhance the figure to 10 percent but first, the necessary infrastructures in Oman should be boosted.
