Iran posts trade surplus of $204 mln for month to late June

Figures by the Iranian customs office (IRICA) show the country had a trade surplus of $204 in the in the month to June 21.

IRICA spokesman Rouhollah Latifi said on Wednesday that Iran’s total trade in the third month of the current calendar year had amounted to $8.902 billion.

Latifi said exports from Iran reached $4.553 billion the month to late June, up from $4.817 billion reported in the month to late May. IRICA had reported $3.699 billion worth of exports from Iran in the month to late April.

IRICA figures, covered in a report by the IRIB News, showed that imports into Iran reached $4.349 billion in the third month of the calendar year, down by $949 million from the previous month.

Latifi said Iranian exports  figure in June was flat against the similar month last year, adding that imports had declined by 6.5% year on year.

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IRICA figures show total trade in June was down by $1.2 billion or nearly 12% against the month to late May.

Iran has reported rising trade figures in recent years despite a series of American sanctions targeting the country’s access to the global markets.

Experts say US sanctions on Iran’s crude oil exports have caused a surge in activity in the non-oil sector of the economy and has led to more exports from the sector.

Government reports show petrochemical products, minerals and agrifood have accounted for a bulk of Iranian non-oil exports in recent months with countries like China, Iraq and Turkey being the largest customers.

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