The Minister of Agriculture reported on the trend of increasing trade turnover between Iran and African states. According to customs exchange statistics, during the first nine months of the Iranian calendar year 1404 (the period from March 21 to December 21, 2025), the volume of trade between Iran and Africa reached approximately 940 million US dollars. This demonstrates an increase of 66% compared to the same period last year.
Speaking at the First National Council on Agricultural Cooperation between Iran and Africa, the minister noted that despite the significant growth, the current trade volume still falls far short of the potential of the vast African market, which has over a billion people. He emphasized that although the figure is small, the direction of movement is correct, and economic interaction between the parties requires expansion through careful planning.
Nouri Kazeljeh, commenting on the share of agricultural products in Iran-Africa trade, stated that about two-thirds of Iran's imports from Africa consist of food and agricultural products. Therefore, cooperation in this area should not be limited to unilateral trade; instead, it should develop towards creating joint value chains, mutual investments, and technology transfer.
The Minister of Agriculture also highlighted the priority of eliminating administrative obstacles and strengthening ties between responsible institutions. He added that for sustainable cooperation, economic actors require clear procedures, reliable logistics, practical payment mechanisms, insurance and investment coverage, as well as predictable regulation. In this regard, opportunities for bilateral agreements and regional mechanisms can be considered in the areas of tariffs and trade facilitation, with the participation of relevant bodies.
Nouri Kazeljeh, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring of the elimination of administrative barriers, stressed that the problems of each project must be clearly defined and documented, a responsible party must be assigned to accompany them, and the progress of work must be evaluated within established deadlines.
At the beginning of the First National Council on Agricultural Cooperation, the minister particularly highlighted the opportunities for joint agricultural partnership with Africa that need to be transformed into concrete, actionable, and long-term economic ties. The council was attended by ambassadors, economic advisors, honorary consuls, executive body officials, economic associations, entrepreneurs, investors, and over 200 economic participants. The minister noted that such broad participation provided a valuable opportunity to translate the political will to expand Iran-Africa relations into concrete projects and strong economic partnerships.
