TEHRAN- Iran exported the eight non-oil cargo to Oman via Sirik Port in southern Hormozgan province, the governor of Sirik County announced on Wednesday.

Ahmad Jamaleddini put the weight of the eight cargo at 610 tons, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dried nuts and constructional materials, with a total value of 150 billion rials (about $3.57 million).

The first non-oil cargo with a capacity of 120 tons, including mineral water and nuts, was dispatched to Oman on June 2, according to Jamaleddini.

In early January, Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) held the first meeting of its Commodity-Country Desk on trade with Oman presided by Farzad Piltan, the director-general of TPO’s Office of Arabian and African Countries.

The meeting was aimed at investigating the ways for increasing exports of constructional materials to Oman and removing the barriers related to transporting these materials to the Arab country, and was participated by the related state-run and private sector officials including representatives of some exporting and marine transport companies.

Despite the U.S. reimposition of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Oman is getting closer to Iran both politically and economically. There is also the same approach adopted by Iran, as Iranian companies now prefer to conduct trade with Oman rather than the United Arab Emirates (UAE), given that the UAE is highly complying with the sanctions.

Iran is somehow replacing some of its previous strategic trade partners such as UAE with Oman, considering the Sultanate as an economic-trade hub.

MA/MA