Foroud Asgari made the revelation about the mid-year import–export statistics at the 43rd meeting of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA) on Tuesday.
According to him, both exports and imports of non-oil commercial goods were respectively at $15 billion and $17 billion, although there was an average decrease of 24 percent compared to the same period last year.
Pointing to the import sector, he said the policies had been implemented in a way that goods with foreign exchange priority remain at the top, resulting in a decrease in the import of some unnecessary or low-priority items to the country.
Asgari cited a decrease in mobile phone imports, saying about 3,160,000 units were brought into the country in the first five months of last year, which has reached one million units this year, about 70 percent less in terms of value. However, he reported clearing 25,000 vehicles so far in 2026, representing a 67 percent increase compared to the same period last year
The IRICA chief pointed to the situation of basic goods in the country’s ports, saying 9.5 million out of 39 million tons of the total imports in Iran are basic goods, of which 4.5 million tons are currently available in 13 ports. According to him, of this amount, about 3 million tons of basic goods are stored at Imam Khomeini Port and about one million tons in 12 other ports.
Emphasizing the need to facilitate port and customs operations to meet the country’s needs promptly, he noted that Iranian Customs is trying to ensure that the process of clearing essential goods and priority items continues without interruption.
Elsewhere in his speech, the Director General of Iranian Customs referred to issues related to borders and exports to neighboring countries and stressed the need for consultation to remove border restrictions with Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan.
On some borders, including with Turkiye, there are still restrictions that require negotiation at higher levels, he said, adding that even at the crossings with Azerbaijan, there is a need to take operational problems at some points into consideration.
Asgari also stated about exports to Pakistan, saying it is possible to send a large number of trucks at some borders, but the capacity or conditions of the other side prevent this from being fully realized.
