Germany Returns to the List of Iran's Largest Trade Partners

The total value of Iran's foreign trade in the first seven months of this year exceeded 48 billion and 700 million dollars, with a trade balance of approximately 600 million dollars positive, according to the Iranian Customs report. In this period, Iran's exports reached 24 billion and 657 million dollars, while imports amounted to 24 billion and 51 million dollars. Non-oil exports saw a growth of 4.34 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports remained almost stable with a slight decrease of 0.1 percent. Hassan Rouhani, two days ago in a gathering in Khomein, referred to post-JCPOA developments, stating, "Previously, large ships could not dock directly at Iranian ports, and their cargo came from Dubai to Bandar Abbas by smaller vessels." The Iranian President described the docking of large ships at Iranian ports due to the implementation of the JCPOA as a "pride of Iran's foreign policy." According to the Iranian Customs report, during this period, gas condensates were the main exported goods from Iran, valued at 4 billion and 50 million dollars, accounting for 16.34 percent of total non-oil exports. Liquefied natural gas followed with 1 billion and 952 million dollars, and then liquefied petroleum gases and hydrocarbons with 888 million dollars, light oils and petroleum products excluding gasoline with 828 million dollars, and liquefied propane with 694 million dollars. It is noted that the main exported items from Iran in this report are oil products or at least have an oil origin; thus, excluding the total value of these exported items from the total value of non-oil exports would result in a negative non-oil trade balance for Iran. The report also specifies that the main imported items during this period included animal feed corn valued at 679 million dollars, soybeans at 534 million dollars, rice at 508 million dollars, parts for passenger car production at 498 million dollars, and various vehicles at 407 million dollars. The report further states that China remains the largest buyer of Iranian goods, with non-oil exports to China reaching 4 billion and 438 million dollars, a decrease of about 2.5 percent compared to the same period last year. Following China, the largest export destinations for Iran are the United Arab Emirates with 3 billion and 887 million dollars, Iraq with 3 billion and 509 million dollars, Turkey with 2 billion and 505 million dollars, and South Korea with 1 billion and 958 million dollars. In another section of this report, the largest importers to Iran in the first seven months of this year are mentioned. Accordingly, Germany has entered the list of the top five importing countries to Iran, ranking as the fifth largest importer during this period. Iran's imports from Germany in the first seven months of this year reached 1 billion and 275 million dollars, marking a 25 percent increase compared to the same period last year. In previous years, due to the severance of relations with European countries and the restrictions imposed by sanctions, European countries had been removed from Iran's list of trading partners. According to this report, the top four largest sources of imported goods to Iran during this period were still held by countries that have traditionally had dealings with Iran. The largest importers to Iran during the reported period were China with 5 billion and 711 million dollars, the United Arab Emirates with 4 billion and 98 million dollars, South Korea with 1 billion and 885 million dollars, and Turkey with 1 billion and 555 million dollars, although the value of imports from these countries during this period decreased compared to the same period last year. The change in Iran's import sources and the value of imports from different countries may indicate a shift in Iran's approach to trade with the world and the establishment and reconstruction of Iran's international economic relations following the signing and implementation of the JCPOA.