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.
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.
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.
Read more:
France’s internal police watchdog (IGPN) is investigating 24 cases linked to student protests across the country, including an incident in wh...
Pope Leo XIV renewed his condemnation of the death penalty on Saturday (10 October), saying it violated the san...
Three people were injured in a stabbing at a further education college in Warsaw on Saturday, police said, as a...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
France’s internal police watchdog (IGPN) is investigating 24 cases linked to student protests across the country, including an incident in which a 14-year-old boy suffered a broken jaw and shattered teeth after allegedly being struck by a police projectile.
Pope Leo XIV renewed his condemnation of the death penalty on Saturday (10 October), saying it violated the sanctity of human life and denied people the chance of redemption, days after the Pentagon announced plans to livestream a U.S. military execution.
Three people were injured in a stabbing at a further education college in Warsaw on Saturday, police said, as a series of violent incidents involving young people raised concerns about possible copycat attacks in Poland.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday postponed legislative elections due next month until 11 September 2027, and called a presidential poll for the same date, blaming Israel and the security situation in the Palestinian territories for the delay.
Azerbaijan has made history at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, claiming a record seven medals and climbing to second place in the standings behind Japan as more than 620 athletes from over 90 countries competed in the Azerbaijani capital.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment