New Export Routes to Oman Defined

TEHRAN (Iran News) The visit—led by the Governor of Alborz—was held alongside the 7th International Food Industries and Related Machinery Exhibition (Agrofood Oman) in Muscat. It facilitated a series of business meetings, discussions with Iran’s ambassador to Oman, and interactions with heads of various provincial chambers of commerce. These engagements yielded concrete outcomes in the areas of export development, production partnerships, and joint investment initiatives.

The delegation, headed by Governor Mojtaba Abdollahi, toured the exhibition with the aim of expanding exports and identifying trade opportunities. The event featured participants from around 20 countries, including 15 booths dedicated to producers and value-chain actors from Alborz Province.

Parham Rezaei, head of the Karaj Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the significance of the delegation’s participation, noting that the Oman Agrofood Exhibition provides a key platform for presenting capabilities in food industries, agriculture, and processing machinery.

He emphasized that the diversity of products and strong presence of reputable Iranian companies created a strategic opportunity to introduce Alborz’s industrial capacity to the region.

Rezaei added that negotiations with Omani and foreign companies helped pave the way for cooperation in joint production, procurement of raw materials, and export expansion. Leveraging Oman’s logistical advantages to access African and Arab markets was also a central topic in discussions.

During the exhibition visit, Governor Abdollahi stressed the vital role of the private sector in countering external efforts to isolate Iran economically. He described the active participation of Alborz businesses in international exhibitions as an important step in strengthening regional cooperation and boosting exports.

Abdollahi underlined that, in line with the 14th government’s focus on economic diplomacy, Alborz—known as the “capital of food industry brands”—possesses significant potential for entering regional markets. Familiarity with Omani regulations, market access routes, and export opportunities across the Persian Gulf and East Africa were among the key areas explored by the delegation.

A joint meeting was also held between the Alborz delegation, Iran’s Ambassador to Oman Mousa Farhang, and heads of chambers from other provinces, including Alborz, Khuzestan, Fars, and Hormozgan, reflecting the provinces’ commitment to export coordination.

Governor Abdollahi reiterated the government’s policy of enhancing regional cooperation, stating that the simultaneous presence of multiple provinces in Oman demonstrates Iran’s unified approach toward strengthening non-oil exports.

The Iranian ambassador emphasized Alborz’s prominent role in food, pharmaceutical, and machinery production, noting that the embassy stands ready to help remove barriers facing Iranian businesses.

Farhang highlighted Oman’s longstanding friendly ties with Iran and its unique potential for expanding exports, joint investments, and use of logistical advantages. He added that the strong participation of Alborz companies demonstrates the resilience and competitive strength of Iran’s private sector despite international constraints.

He further called for continued trade delegation visits, formation of specialized working groups, and planning for joint production projects, arguing that such steps would bring Iranian-Omani economic relations into a new and more stable phase.

During the trip, officials underscored Oman’s role as a regional re-export hub, which makes showcasing Alborz’s capabilities at trade events in the country especially valuable. This approach offers producers a stable and low-risk export route.

In recent years, Oman has also supplied part of Iran’s livestock feed and agricultural imports, and expanding cooperation in this area could help stabilize domestic markets.

Meanwhile, Iran holds considerable export potential in food, industrial, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical products—opportunities that were further introduced and reinforced during the visit.