Gold Tops Imports as 74% of Iran’s Exports Go to Five Countries

TEHRAN (Iran News) During the nine-month period, Iran exported 118.901 million tons of goods valued at $41.243 billion, marking a 1% increase in weight compared to the same period last year. The average price per ton of exported goods stood at $347.

Export destination data indicate that Iranian goods have maintained their position in key regional and Asian markets. The country’s top five export destinations were: China – $10.212 billion (25% share), Iraq – $7.395 billion (18% share), United Arab Emirates – $5.816 billion (14% share), Turkey – $5.005 billion (12% share), and Afghanistan – $1.877 billion (5% share).

Together, these five countries accounted for 74% of Iran’s total exports, highlighting the depth of trade ties and significant potential for expanding economic cooperation with regional and Asian partners.

The composition of exported goods shows that petrochemical, mining, and metal industries remain the backbone of Iran’s non-oil exports. Key export items during the period included methanol, bitumen, liquefied butane, iron and non-alloy steel ingots, various types of urea, other petroleum gases and liquefied gaseous hydrocarbons, iron ore and concentrates, polyethylene grades, containers, hot-rolled iron and steel bars, and unwrought aluminum.

This export mix reflects Iran’s continued comparative advantages in energy, mining, and metal industries, along with strong potential to expand exports of higher value-added products in these sectors.

In the first nine months of the year, imports totaled 29.325 million tons valued at $44.151 billion. The average price per ton of imported goods was $1,506.

The top five sources of imports were: United Arab Emirates, China, Turkey, India and Germany.

These five countries together accounted for 80% of Iran’s total imports. Other major import partners included Russia, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Oman, and Switzerland.

Major imported goods during the period included gold, animal feed corn, sunflower oil, smartphones, rice, soybeans, completely knocked-down (CKD) auto parts, barley (excluding seed), common wheat, soybean meal, photovoltaic cells (solar panels), and palm oil.

The import composition indicates a primary focus on essential goods, agricultural and livestock inputs, production raw materials, as well as selected capital and technology-driven items. This approach is assessed as supporting domestic production, strengthening value chains, and safeguarding national food security.

Overall, Iran’s foreign trade performance in the first nine months of 1404 reflects sustained trade dynamism, consolidation of key export markets, deeper regional cooperation, and the effective role of leading industries in driving exports. Alongside this, targeted import management focused on production needs and essential goods demonstrates a balanced trade policy approach.

The trend suggests continued economic engagement with major trading partners and considerable capacity to expand target markets in the months ahead.