Figures by the Iranian customs office (IRICA) show that Iraq has been the country’s top export destination in the calendar year to late March.
IRICA spokesman Rouhollah Latifi said on Wednesday that Iran had sent $7.4 billion worth of shipments to the neighboring country.
Shipments sent to the United Arab Emirates exceeded $4.6 billion while Turkey took delivery of over $2.5 billion just above Afghanistan at $2.38 billion, said Latifi.
The UAE topped the list of exporters to Iran with over $9.75 billion worth of cargoes sent to the northern neighbor over the year to March followed by Turkey at $4.4 billion and Russia at over $1.7 billion, he said.
Latifi said that total trade with 15 countries with whom Iran shares land or sea border had topped $36.502 billion in value terms in the year to March 20.
Balance of trade with neighbors was positive at $16.145 billion, showed IRICA figures.
Shipments reached over 82.5 million metric tons in volume terms over the period, said Latifi, adding that trade with neighbors was responsible for 58% of the value and 60% of the volume of the entire foreign trade last calendar year.
IRICA has posted a $4.14 billion deficit for Iran’s foreign trade for the past calendar year as total trade reached $72.656 billion in late March.