Iran is increasingly relying on its northern ports for imports, with officials saying more than 30% of goods now enter the country via Russia and the Caspian Sea rather than through the Indian Ocean.

Food security at the forefront

Iran's Deputy Minister for Trade Development at the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, Mohammad Reza Talaei, said the shift has helped the country avoid what he described as the risk of a "complete economic blockade".

"By changing the route from the Indian Ocean to the routes through Russia and the Caspian Sea, we have been able to confront the threat of a complete economic blockade," Talaei said in remarks carried by state news agency IRNA.

According to Talaei, northern ports now account for more than 30% of the country's total imports. He said most cargo arriving through those ports consists of essential agricultural commodities, including wheat, barley, maize and oilseeds, largely supplied by countries across Eurasia.

Expanding trade with Eurasia

The shift reflects Tehran's broader effort to deepen trade with Russia and other Eurasian partners while reducing reliance on southern maritime routes through the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Iran has also been expanding transport links through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects India, Iran, the Caspian region and Russia by rail, road and sea.

The latest figures underscore the growing importance of Iran's northern ports as the country seeks to diversify its trade routes and safeguard imports of strategic goods amid sanctions and regional instability.

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Iran China Caspian Sea Trade