Iran Non-Oil Trade With CIS Registers Sharp Decline

This indicates a decline of 22.77% and 31.08% in tonnage and value respectively compared with the year before, Financial Tribune’s data analysis based on the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration's statistics indicate.

Iran exported a total of 2.55 million tons of non-oil goods worth $1.34 billion to these nine countries last year, registering an increase of 6.12% in tonnage and a decrease of 0.45% in Value, while the country’s imports stood at 1.74 million tons worth $959.95 million down by 44.76% and 51.87% in tonnage and value respectively year-on-year.

CIS, also known as the Russian Commonwealth (in order to distinguish it from the Commonwealth of Nations), is a political and economic intergovernmental organization of nine member states located in Eurasia (primarily in Central to North Asia), all of which were formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 

Ukraine withdrew its associate membership in May 2018, Georgia withdrew its membership in 2008, while the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), which regard their inclusion in the Soviet Union as an illegal occupation, chose not to participate.

> Iran's Biggest CIS Trading Partner 

Iran-Russia trade stood at 1.91 million tons worth $1.03 billion during the period, down by 21.83% and 42.14% in tonnage and value respectively YOY, making the Eurasian nation Iran’s biggest trading partner among the nine countries under review. 

Russia was Iran’s 18th biggest trading partner in the world last year. Iran exported 540,486 tons of commodities worth $293.52 million to Russia during the period, posting a 49.29% and 34.06% increase in tonnage and value respectively YOY. 

Russia exported 1.37 million tons of goods worth $743.15 million to Iran during the same period, down 34.17% and 52.74% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.

Azerbaijan was Iran's second biggest trading partner among CIS member states, having traded $351.14 million worth of 780,985 tons of non-oil goods with Iran last year, down by 34.91% in tonnage and by 13.51% in value YOY.

Iran exported 711,108 tons of commodities worth $324.01 million to Azerbaijan, posting a 32.23% and 9.8% decrease in tonnage and value respectively YOY. 

Azerbaijan exported 69,877 tons of goods worth $27.13 million to Iran, down 53.58% and 41.98% in tonnage and value respectively YOY. Azerbaijan was Iran’s 31st major trading partner in the world last year.

Iran's trade with Kazakhstan witnessed a YOY decrease of 46.76% and 41.86% in tonnage and value respectively to hit 550,145 tons worth $234.69 million. Kazakhstan was Iran’s 39th trading partner in the world last year.

Iran exported 329,277 tons of non-oil goods worth $167.98 million to Kazakhstan, up 39.79% in tonnage and down 12.82% in value YOY. 

Kazakhstan’s exports to Iran stood at 220,868 tons worth $66.70 million, down by 72.31% and 68.38% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.

Iran’s non-oil trade with Armenia witnessed year-on-year increase of 33.2% and 15.82% in tonnage and value respectively to reach 801,185 tons worth $231.78 million.

Iran’s exports to Armenia reached 786,818 tons worth $205.91 million during the year, increasing by 33.78% and 14.88% in tonnage and value YOY. 

This is while Iran imported 14,367 tons of Armenian goods worth $25.86 million, up by 7.72% and 23.8% in tonnage and in value YOY. As such, Armenia was Iran’s 40th trading partner in the world during the period under review.

Tajikistan was next, as trade with this country totaled 89,436 tons worth $230.91 million last year, registering a 12.38% decrease and a 7.44% growth YOY. Tajikistan was Iran’s 41st trading partner in the world.

Iran’s exports to Tajikistan stood at 83,502 tons worth $217.24 million, down by 9.57% in tonnage and up by 9.35% in value YOY, as Tajikistan’s exports to Iran stood at 5,934 tons worth $13.66 million, down by 39.05% in tonnage and 15.98% in value YOY.

Iran’s 44th trading partner in the world, Uzbekistan, traded 125,811 tons of non-oil goods worth $159.47 million with Iran to register a YOY decline of 18.7% and 40.89% in tonnage and value respectively.

Iran exported 81,784 tons of goods worth $98.33 million to Uzbekistan, up 29.15% in tonnage and down 44.02% in value, while Uzbekistan’s exports to Iran stood at 44,026 tons worth $61.13 million, indicating a 51.84% and 35.05% decline in tonnage and value respectively YOY.

> Highest Rise in Trade

Trade with Kyrgyzstan witnessed a YOY increase of 53.53% and 48.6% in tonnage and value respectively to reach 23,524 tons worth $44.70 million. This is the highest value rise in trade with Iran among CIS members. 

Kyrgyzstan was Iran’s 62nd trading partner in the world last year.

Iran exported 18,891 tons of non-oil goods worth $38.65 million to Kyrgyzstan, up 38.2% and 45.15% in tonnage and value respectively YOY. On the other hand, Kyrgyzstan’s exports to Iran stood at 4,633 tons worth $6.05 million, up by 180.41% and 75.23% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.

Belarus was next as trade with this country totaled 14,317 tons worth $18.01 million last year, registering a 21.73% growth and 43.48% decline in tonnage and value YOY. This is the highest value decrease in trade with Iran among CIS members. Belarus was Iran’s 76th trading partner in the world.

Iran’s exports to Belarus stood at 1,162 tons worth $1.76 million, down by 22.78% and 28.93% in tonnage and value respectively YOY, as exports from Belarus to Iran stood at 13,154 tons worth $16.24 million, up by 28.26% in tonnage and down by 44.71% in value YOY.

As for Moldova, Iran did not have any commercial exchanges with the East European country during the period under review.