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year [on March 19, 2021],” Mehdi Mirashrafi, a spokesman for IRICA, was cited as saying.
“The amount of goods imported during the [eight-month] period was 21,800,000 tonnes of which 15,200,000 tonnes were essential basic goods,” he added.
In Iran’s export table, Iraq took first place with a value of $5.7bn, China was second with almost the same amount, the UAE was third with $2.7bn, Turkey fourth with $1.6bn and Afghanistan fifth with $1.5bn. For imports, the rankings, in order, were China at $6bn, the UAE at $5.4bn, Turkey at $2.6bn, India at $1.4bn and Germany at $1.1bn.
Mirashrafi noted that Iranian exports of pistachios in the Persian month of Aban (started October 22) gained fourth place in terms of export value.
He said: “Considering that the average value of Iran’s export goods is about 30 cents per kilogram, pistachios come in at $6 per kilogram or more, showing the significant role of agricultural products in Iran’s exports.”
5.1.3​ Gross international reserves
Iran’s gold prices skyrocket
Iran’s gold market has skyrocketed, following suit with the dollar, euro and sterling prices on Iran’s so-called “free” market. ​In the gold sovereign market, the Azadi gold coin retailed for IRR117mn on September 14 while the slightly weightier Emami coin sold for IRR129mn, reflecting the pressures in the currency market.
According to the IMF in its Regional Economic Outlook on May 4, the value of Iran’s gross official reserves was estimated to reach $108.4bn in 2019.​ The country’s gross official reserves will experience a $13.3bn jump in the current year rising from last year’s $95.1bn.
In an April report, ​the IMF predicted that Iran's foreign exchange reserves would be $85bn this year,​ but much of that may be blocked abroad by sanctions.
5.2​ FTA, multilateral agreements
European investors invited to Iran business conference that will imagine sanctions free economy under Biden
European investors with ambitions to tap Iranian markets if US sanctions are lifted under the upcoming Joe Biden administration are being invited to attend a December 14-16 conference funded by the European Union.
The Europe-Iran Business Forum comes under the UN’s International Trade Center—an agency jointly managed by the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO)—and the Iran Trade Promotion Organization. The Milan-based European House-Ambrosetti is also supporting the event. It will be hosted on the company’s online conference platform.
The forum will be the first event of its kind in two years, according to its organisers.
International conferences on Iran’s economy, trade and banking sectors became relativey common following the signing of the November 2015 nuclear deal by Iran, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China. But they
23​ IRAN Country Report December 2020 www.intellinews.com