Joint chamber: Tajikistan ...
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Shirdel said a delegation of Iranian traders and business representatives recently visited Tajikistan, where they held talks with the country's Chamber of Commerce and Investment Committee on coordinating imports through Tajikistan.
Shirdel encouraged Iranian businesses to consider Tajikistan as a destination for trade and exports to the region, saying their linguistic and cultural similarities provide favorable conditions for expanding economic cooperation.
He said that if trade restrictions on southern routes continue, Iran could import part of its raw materials, industrial machinery and essential goods through Tajikistan and Central Asia from China, Kazakhstan or Russia.
Shirdel also said repeated increases in Tajikistan's customs tariffs during the current calendar year had slowed Iranian exports and reduced bilateral trade. He said the tariff hikes were mainly aimed at raising Tajikistan's budget revenues and called on Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and Trade Promotion Organization to negotiate preferential tariffs with the Tajik side.
Although Shirdel did not provide further details, news reports indicate that Tajikistan's latest customs tariff increases, which took effect in late June, are part of a broader regional trend. For example, Uzbekistan raised import tariffs on cement from Tajikistan from $35 to $300 per metric ton in November 2024, with such reciprocal measures affecting the regional trade environment.
Shirdel said annual trade between Iran and Tajikistan currently stands at about $300 million, with more than 95% of the trade historically in Iran's favor, although efforts have recently been made to increase imports from Tajikistan.
He said Iran mainly imports cotton, aluminum and edible oils from Tajikistan, while its exports to the country include food products, steel products, detergents, construction materials and petrochemical products.
Shirdel said Tajikistan has substantial reserves of metals, minerals and particularly gold, although most of its gold mines are controlled by Chinese companies. He said Iran could cooperate with Tajikistan in developing the country's mining sector.
He added that Iran's main competitors in the Tajik market are China, Turkey and Russia, but said Tajik consumers generally prefer Iranian products when locally available because of the two countries' shared language and cultural ties.