Summary
- Exports
- $13.3billion
- Imports
- $22.6billion
- Trade balance
- -$9.3billion
Products
What it exports
Polyethylene (14.2%) and iron ore (8.5%) together make up 22.7% of its exports.
What it imports
Soybean meal and pellets (5.1%) and soybeans (4.9%) together make up 10% of its imports.
Its products
Destinations and sources of its products that have their own page.
By Harmonized System chapter (96)
| Chapter | Exports | Imports |
|---|---|---|
| 39 · Plastics | $2.3 billion | $720 million |
| 08 · Fruit and nuts | $1.3 billion | $216 million |
| 27 · Oil, gas and coal | $1.3 billion | $136 million |
| 29 · Organic chemicals | $1.3 billion | $346 million |
| 26 · Ores and slag | $1.3 billion | $57 million |
| 72 · Iron and steel | $1.1 billion | $376 million |
| 76 · Aluminum | $665 million | $129 million |
| 74 · Copper | $618 million | $15 million |
| 25 · Salt, stone and cement | $439 million | $29 million |
| 79 · Zinc | $341 million | $656 thousand |
| 07 · Vegetables | $205 million | $97 million |
| 04 · Dairy, eggs and honey | $183 million | $88 million |
| 20 · Preserved fruit and vegetables | $182 million | $82 million |
| 28 · Inorganic chemicals | $177 million | $126 million |
| 84 · Mechanical machinery | $169 million | $3.4 billion |
| 01 · Live animals | $154 million | $12 million |
| 03 · Fish and seafood | $143 million | $13 million |
| 09 · Coffee, tea and spices | $141 million | $222 million |
| 69 · Ceramics | $138 million | $77 million |
| 73 · Iron and steel products | $119 million | $362 million |
| 70 · Glass | $110 million | $136 million |
| 30 · Pharmaceuticals | $86 million | $880 million |
| 57 · Carpets and rugs | $77 million | $43 million |
| 34 · Soap and cleaning products | $62 million | $111 million |
| 05 · Other animal products | $55 million | $9 million |
| 21 · Food preparations | $54 million | $88 million |
| 15 · Fats and oils | $53 million | $624 million |
| 68 · Stone, plaster and cement articles | $53 million | $53 million |
| 19 · Baked goods and cereal products | $45 million | $54 million |
| 23 · Animal feed and food waste | $37 million | $1.2 billion |
| 38 · Miscellaneous chemicals | $31 million | $252 million |
| 40 · Rubber | $27 million | $263 million |
| 85 · Electrical and electronic equipment | $27 million | $1.5 billion |
| 13 · Gums and plant extracts | $26 million | $23 million |
| 12 · Oilseeds and grains | $21 million | $1.4 billion |
| 24 · Tobacco | $21 million | $159 million |
| 87 · Vehicles | $21 million | $1.9 billion |
| 32 · Dyes, paints and tanning agents | $20 million | $192 million |
| 63 · Home textiles and used clothing | $20 million | $40 million |
| 78 · Lead | $20 million | $713 thousand |
| 22 · Beverages and spirits | $19 million | $28 million |
| 41 · Hides and leather | $17 million | $604 thousand |
| 54 · Synthetic filaments | $16 million | $408 million |
| 17 · Sugar and sweets | $15 million | $455 million |
| 97 · Art and antiques | $15 million | $250 thousand |
| 31 · Fertilizers | $14 million | $65 million |
| 71 · Gems and precious metals | $13 million | $512 million |
| 64 · Footwear | $12 million | $32 million |
| 90 · Precision and medical instruments | $11 million | $1.1 billion |
| 94 · Furniture and lighting | $11 million | $202 million |
| 33 · Perfumes and cosmetics | $11 million | $214 million |
| 44 · Wood | $10 million | $87 million |
| 02 · Meat and offal | $9 million | $220 million |
| 55 · Synthetic staple fibers | $8 million | $204 million |
| 48 · Paper and paperboard | $8 million | $274 million |
| 56 · Felt, nonwovens and rope | $7 million | $84 million |
| 16 · Prepared meat and fish | $7 million | $2 million |
| 61 · Knitted clothing | $7 million | $31 million |
| 95 · Toys and sports gear | $7 million | $63 million |
| 10 · Cereals | $6 million | $1.9 billion |
| 83 · Miscellaneous metal goods | $6 million | $111 million |
| 35 · Glues, starches and enzymes | $6 million | $122 million |
| 18 · Cocoa and chocolate | $5 million | $105 million |
| 49 · Books and printed matter | $5 million | $5 million |
| 11 · Milling products and malt | $3 million | $5 million |
| 06 · Live plants and flowers | $3 million | $6 million |
| 51 · Wool | $3 million | $6 million |
| 14 · Other plant products | $2 million | $3 million |
| 58 · Special fabrics and lace | $2 million | $42 million |
| 59 · Coated and technical textiles | $2 million | $77 million |
| 52 · Cotton | $2 million | $155 million |
| 86 · Railway equipment | $2 million | $10 million |
| 36 · Explosives and matches | $1 million | $40 thousand |
| 96 · Other manufactured goods | $1 million | $79 million |
| 62 · Woven clothing | $1 million | $23 million |
| 60 · Knitted fabric | $972 thousand | $110 million |
| 42 · Leather goods and bags | $930 thousand | $22 million |
| 82 · Tools and cutlery | $734 thousand | $112 million |
| 53 · Other plant fibers | $705 thousand | $3 million |
| 91 · Watches and clocks | $536 thousand | $14 million |
| 92 · Musical instruments | $509 thousand | $934 thousand |
| 46 · Wicker and basketware | $434 thousand | $724 thousand |
| 75 · Nickel | $311 thousand | $26 million |
| 67 · Feathers and artificial flowers | $253 thousand | $5 million |
| 93 · Weapons and ammunition | $241 thousand | $3 million |
| 47 · Wood pulp | $163 thousand | $95 million |
| 65 · Hats | $123 thousand | $3 million |
| 88 · Aircraft and spacecraft | $112 thousand | $13 million |
| 89 · Ships and boats | $74 thousand | $273 thousand |
| 66 · Umbrellas and canes | $61 thousand | $4 million |
| 81 · Other base metals | $49 thousand | $7 million |
| 80 · Tin | $22 thousand | $9 million |
| 37 · Photographic goods | $19 thousand | $28 million |
| 50 · Silk | $4 thousand | $6 million |
| 43 · Fur and fur goods | $2 thousand | $0 |
| 45 · Cork | $1 thousand | $218 thousand |
Trading partners
China is its main destination (33.4% of exports) and source (39.6% of imports).
Who it sells to
| Partner | Value (USD billions) | Share | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 4.4 | 33.4% | Sea |
| Turkey | 2.5 | 18.5% | Land |
| Pakistan | 1.2 | 9% | Land |
| India | 1.1 | 8% | Sea |
| Azerbaijan | 0.63 | 4.8% | Land |
| Armenia | 0.63 | 4.7% | Land |
| Uzbekistan | 0.33 | 2.5% | Sea |
| Kuwait | 0.33 | 2.5% | Sea |
| Georgia | 0.28 | 2.1% | Sea |
| Germany | 0.24 | 1.8% | Sea |
Overview 1995–2024
In 2024, Iran accounted for 0.06% of world exports, compared with 0.32% in 1995.
Exports and imports
Exports fell 17% since 1995
USD billions (current). Bars: trade balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 13.3
- Imports 22.6
- Balance -9.3
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $16.1 billion | $8.5 billion | $7.6 billion |
| 1996 | $18.9 billion | $10.6 billion | $8.3 billion |
| 1997 | $18.6 billion | $17.4 billion | $1.2 billion |
| 1998 | $13.7 billion | $16.6 billion | -$2.9 billion |
| 1999 | $18.1 billion | $15.2 billion | $2.9 billion |
| 2000 | $26 billion | $17.1 billion | $8.9 billion |
| 2001 | $23.3 billion | $20.8 billion | $2.6 billion |
| 2002 | $20.2 billion | $25 billion | -$4.7 billion |
| 2003 | $28.9 billion | $31.2 billion | -$2.2 billion |
| 2004 | $36.7 billion | $40.5 billion | -$3.7 billion |
| 2005 | $48.6 billion | $44.5 billion | $4.1 billion |
| 2006 | $67.7 billion | $35.2 billion | $32.5 billion |
| 2007 | $73.5 billion | $49.9 billion | $23.6 billion |
| 2008 | $100.4 billion | $57.7 billion | $42.8 billion |
| 2009 | $62.3 billion | $45.2 billion | $17.1 billion |
| 2010 | $93.4 billion | $70.9 billion | $22.5 billion |
| 2011 | $124.8 billion | $77.8 billion | $47 billion |
| 2012 | $77 billion | $69 billion | $8 billion |
| 2013 | $71.9 billion | $67.6 billion | $4.3 billion |
| 2014 | $77.1 billion | $69.1 billion | $8 billion |
| 2015 | $51.6 billion | $55.2 billion | -$3.6 billion |
| 2016 | $61.8 billion | $55.5 billion | $6.3 billion |
| 2017 | $82.5 billion | $65.5 billion | $17 billion |
| 2018 | $87.5 billion | $53.3 billion | $34.2 billion |
| 2019 | $41.8 billion | $49.2 billion | -$7.4 billion |
| 2020 | $32.5 billion | $41.3 billion | -$8.8 billion |
| 2021 | $52.7 billion | $53.7 billion | -$987 million |
| 2022 | $57.4 billion | $57.3 billion | $98 million |
| 2023 | $13.4 billion | $29.5 billion | -$16.1 billion |
| 2024 | $13.3 billion | $22.6 billion | -$9.3 billion |
World rank
Iran fell from 43rd to 94th among the world's exporters
Rank among 222 countries by export value (1st at the top).
- 43rd in 1995
- 94th in 2024
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 43rd |
| 1996 | 42nd |
| 1997 | 43rd |
| 1998 | 46th |
| 1999 | 43rd |
| 2000 | 42nd |
| 2001 | 43rd |
| 2002 | 46th |
| 2003 | 43rd |
| 2004 | 43rd |
| 2005 | 40th |
| 2006 | 39th |
| 2007 | 40th |
| 2008 | 38th |
| 2009 | 39th |
| 2010 | 35th |
| 2011 | 34th |
| 2012 | 48th |
| 2013 | 49th |
| 2014 | 45th |
| 2015 | 50th |
| 2016 | 43rd |
| 2017 | 39th |
| 2018 | 40th |
| 2019 | 56th |
| 2020 | 62nd |
| 2021 | 55th |
| 2022 | 57th |
| 2023 | 93rd |
| 2024 | 94th |
What it sells
Plastics became its top export group: from 0.1% to 17%
% of exports by Harmonized System chapter.
- Other 27%
- Copper 5%
- Aluminum 5%
- Iron and steel 8%
- Ores and slag 9%
- Organic chemicals 9%
- Oil, gas and coal 9%
- Fruit and nuts 10%
- Plastics 17%
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Chapter | 1995 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Plastics | 0.05% | 17.2% |
| Fruit and nuts | 2.8% | 10.1% |
| Oil, gas and coal | 85.1% | 9.5% |
| Organic chemicals | 0.7% | 9.5% |
| Ores and slag | 0.61% | 9.5% |
| Iron and steel | 1.5% | 8.1% |
| Aluminum | 0.34% | 5% |
| Copper | 0.23% | 4.7% |
| Other | 8.7% | 26.5% |
Who it trades with
China went from 2% to 37% of Iran's trade
% of total trade (exports + imports) with each partner.
- China 37%
- Turkey 15%
- Brazil 8%
- India 6%
- Germany 4%
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Partner | 1995 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| China | 2% | 37.3% |
| Turkey | 3.9% | 15.5% |
| Brazil | 2.1% | 8.4% |
| India | 2.9% | 6.4% |
| Germany | 9% | 4.3% |
Production hubs
Largest industrial emission sources (Climate TRACE, 2025)
- Zagros Foldbelt basin
- Rub al Khali basin
- Widyan - North Arabian Gulf basin
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- Climate TRACE · CC BY 4.0 (emissions by asset; the 3 largest per country are shown)
- Kummu et al., gridded GDP · CC BY 4.0 (hubs aggregated by this site)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
Methodology
Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Ranks are computed among the countries with data each year. Services are not included. Data up to 2024.