Iran: Visió econòmica i política
Iran is relatively open to foreign trade, which accounts for around 52% of its GDP (World Bank, latest data available). The country has an observer status at the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2005 and is not a member of any regional trade blocs. Exports are spearheaded by crude oil and petroleum products (reaching a five-year high in 2023), followed by ethylene polymers and acyclic alcohols. On the other hand, imports are led by telephones (8.4%), maize or corn (6.4%), wheat and meslin (4.7%), soya beans, whether or not broken (2.7%), sunflower-seed, and safflower or cotton-seed oil (2.6% - data Comtrade).
In 2022, Iran’s main export partners were China (29.8%), Iraq (13.3%), Türkiye (9.0%), the United Arab Emirates (7.3%), and Afghanistan (2.7%), whereas imports came chiefly from the United Arab Emirates (31.2%), China (24.1%), Türkiye (10.0%), Germany (3.6%), and Russia (3.1% - data Comtrade). The government is aiming to diversify the country's exports, given that diversification of non-oil exports would lower the economy’s vulnerability.
The country generally has a positive trade balance thanks to oil exports; however, its scope is largely dependent on global oil prices. According to figures from WTO, in 2022, Iran exported USD 77.2 billion worth of goods against USD 55.4 billion in imports (+7.7% and +13.2% y-o-y, respectively). Concerning services, exports stood at USD 6.5 billion and imports at USD 11.9 billion. In the same year, the trade balance was estimated to be positive by 2% of GDP, from 1.3% one year earlier (World Bank).
Foreign Trade Values | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Imports of Goods (million USD) | 41,828 | 38,757 | 49,086 | 58,552 | 65,276 |
Exports of Goods (million USD) | 65,718 | 46,916 | 71,646 | 97,853 | 91,188 |
Imports of Services (million USD) | 15,006 | 7,544 | 11,486 | 16,150 | 0 |
Exports of Services (million USD) | 10,953 | 4,818 | 5,824 | 9,266 | 0 |
Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data
Foreign Trade Indicators | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) | 58.4 | 50.8 | 43.8 | 44.4 | 37.7 |
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) | -26.3 | -32.5 | -29.7 | 24.1 | 9.2 |
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) | -4.4 | -17.3 | -12.8 | 5.2 | 7.3 |
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) | 28.2 | 27.3 | 24.4 | 21.5 | 17.9 |
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) | 30.2 | 23.5 | 19.4 | 22.8 | 19.8 |
Source: World Bank ; Latest available data
Foreign Trade Forecasts | 2023 | 2024 (e) | 2025 (e) | 2026 (e) | 2027 (e) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) | 17.6 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 4.0 | 2.5 |
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) | -2.2 | -6.4 | -9.2 | -9.9 | -10.2 |
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data
Note: (e) Estimated Data
Iran is the member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OEC) which includes nine other countries of Western and Central Asia (Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and five Republics of Central Asia) But the OEC has not succeeded in liberalizing exchanges between its members and continues to be passive in this regard.
Since 2005, Iran is an observer member of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (OCS) which includes China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The observer members include Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan. One of the goals of this organization is to facilitate co-operation between these States in the political, economic and commercial, scientific and technical, cultural and educational fields as well as in the fields of energy, transport, tourism and environment. The permanent members of the OCS account for 20% of the world oil reserves and 38 % of oil reserves.
Iran is in the process of negotiation to conclude a cooperation agreement with the European Union which has an economic dimension but for the moment these negotiations have stopped because of tensions related to the nuclear power file.
The country has signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).
Main Customers (% of Exports) |
2021 |
China | 29.8% |
Iraq | 13.3% |
Türkiye | 9.0% |
United Arab Emirates | 7.3% |
Afghanistan | 2.7% |
India | 2.7% |
Pakistan | 1.9% |
Indonesia | 1.6% |
Thailand | 1.2% |
Oman | 1.1% |
Russia | 0.9% |
Uzbekistan | 0.6% |
Azerbaijan | 0.6% |
Ghana | 0.5% |
Turkmenistan | 0.5% |
Armenia | 0.5% |
Germany | 0.4% |
South Africa | 0.4% |
Syria | 0.3% |
Myanmar | 0.3% |
See More Countries | 37.9% |
Main Suppliers (% of Imports) |
2021 |
United Arab Emirates | 31.2% |
China | 24.1% |
Türkiye | 10.0% |
Germany | 3.6% |
Russia | 3.1% |
India | 3.0% |
Switzerland | 2.9% |
Iraq | 2.3% |
United Kingdom | 2.2% |
Netherlands | 1.7% |
Italy | 1.4% |
Oman | 1.2% |
South Korea | 1.1% |
Brazil | 1.0% |
Malaysia | 0.9% |
Argentina | 0.9% |
Singapore | 0.8% |
Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.7% |
Austria | 0.6% |
Pakistan | 0.6% |
See More Countries | 28.0% |
Source: Comtrade, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.
Source: Comtrade, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.
To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.
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Actualitzacions: April 2024
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