TEHRAN – Iran’s trade balance with Qatar swung into surplus in the first 10 months of the Iranian year 1404 (March 2025-January 2026), driven by a sharp rise in exports and a decline in imports, a senior trade official said.

Abdolamir Rabihavi, director general for West Asia at the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO), citing the latest customs data from Iran and Qatar, said non-oil exports to Qatar increased significantly in both volume and value compared with the same period a year earlier.

Iran exported around 580,000 tons of goods worth more than $122 million to Qatar during the period, up from 432,000 tons valued at $113 million in the corresponding period of 1403.

Exports rose about 34 percent by weight and eight percent by value year-on-year, he said. The bulk of shipments consisted of agricultural products, food items, construction materials and selected mineral goods.

Key export items included eggs, tomatoes, watermelons, industrial milk powder, floor coverings, dried fruits, cement, clinker and building stones, reflecting Iran’s role in supplying part of Qatar’s import demand.

In contrast, Iran’s imports from Qatar declined markedly. Imports totaled about 101,000 tons worth roughly $111 million in the 10-month period, compared with 145,000 tons valued at $175 million a year earlier.

That represented a 30 percent drop in volume and a 37 percent fall in value, Rabihavi said. Imported goods mainly comprised industrial raw materials, animal feed, machinery parts and chemical products, with Qatar often acting as a re-export hub for certain items.

As a result, Iran posted a trade surplus of around $11 million with Qatar in the first 10 months of 1404, reversing a deficit of approximately $62 million recorded in the same period last year.

Rabihavi added that a significant portion of indirect trade between Tehran and Doha is conducted through third countries such as Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Trade in goods such as iron and steel billets and bitumen routed via these channels is estimated at around $200 million, pointing to further untapped potential in bilateral trade relations.

EF/MA