Iran identifies priority export markets

TEHRAN,May 8(MNA) – The Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) has announced a list of countries sorted in two categories based on export priorities in the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21. Turkey, Iraq, China, Russia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Oman, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kuwait, South Korea, Egypt, Qatar, Malaysia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Tunisia, Kirgizstan, Belarus, Algeria, Bangladesh, Japan, Syria, Kenya, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Jordan, Ukraine, and Libya are the countries with the first priority. Vietnam, Ghana, Venezuela, Brazil, the Philippines, Cuba, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Egypt, Australia, and Cyprus are the countries with the second priority. The report added that Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, India, Turkey, South Korea, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Azerbaijan were the ten main destinations for Iranian products last year. Iran’s non-oil trade with outside world hit $94.8 billion in the past Iranian calendar year, Iranian Customs Administration Director Abbas Memarnejad said in April. Non-oil exports stood at $41.5 billion, while imports amounted to $53.3 billion in the past year, he added. Iran is currently in trade with 151 countries, he noted. TPOI Deputy Director Kiyumars Fat’hollah Kermanshahi said in May 2012 that Iran’s annual imports and exports are projected to reach $77 billion and $83 billion, respectively, by March 2016. At the beginning of 2012, the United States and the European Union imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors. The U.S.-engineered sanctions were imposed based on the accusation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. Iran rejects the allegation, saying that as a committed signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.