Iran exported goods and services to Iraq worth $800 million in one-month period between April & May

[Aspen]

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran exported goods and services worth $800 million to Iraq in a month-long period between April and May, confirmed an Iranian official, despite the strict measures the latter has taken to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, including the closure of several border crossings.

“In the month of Ordibehesht [April 20 to May 20] around 800 million dollars was exported from Iran to Iraq. We expect this figure to go up in the month of Khordad, [May 21 to June 21]" Tasnim News Agency quoted Hamid Hosseini, secretary general of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce on Monday, as saying.

"We predict that it will be more than this in June," he added.

Iraq is the second-largest importer of Iranian products. It follows China, which mostly receives petrochemicals from the Middle Eastern country. Iraqi imports from Iran focus predominantly on agricultural products, engineering services, construction material, and energy, including electricity and natural gas.

Iraq accounted for $9 billion of Iran’s $12.5 billion total exports in 2019.

“Despite the current obstacles including the sanctions and the American pressures, we will try and keep a good figure in terms of exports to this country [Iraq],” said Hosseini.

The devastating economic impact of the coronavirus has dealt a significant blow to trade volume between Iraq and Iran in 2020.

Iran fast became the regional epicenter and one of the world’s worst-hit countries by the pandemic after recording its first case in Qom in February of this year.

As cases of infection began to seep into Iraq – many of which were people who had returned from Iran – Baghdad began restricting travel, shutting its five main border crossings with its eastern neighbor in mid-March. Baghdad has not yet announced any schedule to fully reopen its borders with Iran.

The Kurdistan Region did not follow Baghdad’s lead, however, choosing to keep its three major border crossings with Iran open for trade throughout the pandemic period. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities only closed the border during a three-day complete shutdown of all movement between April 4 to 6.

Hosseini says he expects all of Iraq’s border crossings with Iran to open within the next “one or two weeks.”

"Currently, the Mehran border is active and the border is open two days a week," he said, referring to a crossing open for trade.

Iran has on multiple occasions in the course of the past four months pressured Iraq to open its crossings with them.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/business/22062020

 

[Aramagedon]

Good news. I hope we pass corona disease as sooner as possible.

 

[Aspen]

For some perspective, I decided to compare this to Pakistan's export data from 2018.

This data for Pakistani exports below is ANNUAL not monthly

1. United States: US$3.8 billion (16% of total Pakistani exports)
2. China: $1.8 billion (7.7%)
3. United Kingdom: $1.7 billion (7.3%)
4. Afghanistan: $1.4 billion (5.7%)
5. Germany: $1.3 billion (5.5%)
6. United Arab Emirates: $996 million (4.2%)
7. Netherlands: $941.6 million (4%)
8. Spain: $922.8 million (3.9%)
9. Bangladesh: $787.6 million (3.3%)
10. Italy: $776.5 million (3.3%)
11. Belgium: $668 million (2.8%)
12. France: $447.1 million (1.9%)
13. India: $382.2 million (1.6%)
14. Sri Lanka: $357.3 million (1.5%)
15. Saudi Arabia: $316.9 million (1.3%)

Iran exported to Iraq in just one month 45% of what Pakistan exports to China in the entire year.

 

[Aramagedon]

For some perspective, I decided to compare this to Pakistan's export data from 2018.

This data for Pakistani exports below is ANNUAL not monthly

1. United States: US$3.8 billion (16% of total Pakistani exports)
2. China: $1.8 billion (7.7%)
3. United Kingdom: $1.7 billion (7.3%)
4. Afghanistan: $1.4 billion (5.7%)
5. Germany: $1.3 billion (5.5%)
6. United Arab Emirates: $996 million (4.2%)
7. Netherlands: $941.6 million (4%)
8. Spain: $922.8 million (3.9%)
9. Bangladesh: $787.6 million (3.3%)
10. Italy: $776.5 million (3.3%)
11. Belgium: $668 million (2.8%)
12. France: $447.1 million (1.9%)
13. India: $382.2 million (1.6%)
14. Sri Lanka: $357.3 million (1.5%)
15. Saudi Arabia: $316.9 million (1.3%)

Iran exported to Iraq in just one month 45% of what Pakistan exports to China in the entire year.

What Pakistan do is disappointing ....

@Aspen

How much is your total exports?

Saudi invested $100 billion in India alone previous year !

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/saudi-arabia-to-invest-100-billion-in-india.603044/

 

[Saddam Hussein]

Good news. I hope we pass corona disease as sooner as possible.

Very bad news for Iraq.

Wealth is flowing out, bad quality imports from Iran coming in. The local populace is not being put to work to produce.

They're importing every single thing there is. It's too close to Iran and will remain doomed as long as it is.

Iran even pressured Iraq to open its borders and now Iraq is experiencing a peak in Corona deaths.

The country has been taken into a grip by the mullah cancer.

 

[QWECXZ]

Very bad news for Iraq.

Wealth is flowing out, bad quality imports from Iran coming in. The local populace is not being put to work to produce.

They're importing every single thing there is. It's too close to Iran and will remain doomed as long as it is.

Iran even pressured Iraq to open its borders and now Iraq is experiencing a peak in Corona deaths.

The country has been taken into a grip by the mullah cancer.

What "bad quality" products do we send you exactly?

And we didn't put pressure on you to open your borders. And the number of corona cases in Iraq started accelerating before reopening your borders.

We can stop exporting medical equipment and covid-19 test kits if you don't need them. No one is forcing you to use our help.

 

[Aspen]

What Pakistan do is disappointing ....

Yeah Pakistan really needs to boosts exports big time

Imagine if Pakistan exported $800 million goods in one month period to Afghanistan, our export economy would be much better.

Right now Pakistan annual exports $1.4 billion to Afghanistan but that's for the entire year, not one month. Iran's annual exports to Iraq are a whopping $9 billion.

 

[Aramagedon]

Very bad news for Iraq.

Wealth is flowing out, bad quality imports from Iran coming in. The local populace is not being put to work to produce.

They're importing every single thing there is. It's too close to Iran and will remain doomed as long as it is.

Iran even pressured Iraq to open its borders and now Iraq is experiencing a peak in Corona deaths.

The country has been taken into a grip by the mullah cancer.

Like Saddam time there will be famine in Iraq if Iran doesn't export you food.

Even now half of your population are in famine, now imagine Iran doesn't export you good !

https://www.worldhunger.org/articles/global/ht40303iraq.htm

https://www.wfp.org/news/more-half-iraqs-population-risk-food-insecurity-government-wfp-analysis

 

[Saddam Hussein]

What "bad quality" products do we send you exactly?

Iran disregards Iraq's export laws which includes quality control and assurance. Many Iranian products are of low quality and they're flooding the market by force, using some of their proxy influence in Baghdad threatening calls for reducing imports. All these mass imports are killing any attempts at local production.

The mass import of Saipa () is a big example, other examples are everyday items including cheap electronics.

The useful imports from Iran are in the engineering sector which Iraq lacks, Iraq cannot just like that start building its own power plants etc. However, the amount of other shit it imports is damaging.

Like Saddam time there will be famine in Iraq if Iran doesn't export you goods.

Even now half of your population are in danger famine: Now imagine Iran doesn't export you food !

https://www.worldhunger.org/articles/global/ht40303iraq.htm

https://www.wfp.org/news/more-half-iraqs-population-risk-food-insecurity-government-wfp-analysis

1991-2003 famine was because of a worldwide blockade, there is no blockade anymore. The country can survive without these mass imports. The local production needs to start, this government is heavily infiltrated by Iran. Just look at Kadhimi today, being threatened by Iranian proxies day and night.

Either way, my sole statement here was that this is another bad thing for Iraq. Hopefully the people wake up from their retarded nonsense.

 

[QWECXZ]

Iran disregards Iraq's export laws which includes quality control and assurance. Many Iranian products are of low quality and they're flooding the market by force, using some of their proxy influence in Baghdad threatening calls for reducing imports. All these mass imports are killing any attempts at local production.

The mass import of Saipa (major piece of shit) is a big example, other examples are everyday items including cheap electronics.

The useful imports from Iran are in the engineering sector which Iraq lacks, Iraq cannot just like that start building its own power plants etc. However, the amount of other shit it imports is damaging.

SAIPA products are meant to be cheap cars targeted at an audience with a low income. They are criticized in Iran as well, but yet they have their own market because they are cheap. Compare SAIPA products to Chinese or Russian cars in the same price range and it won't look that bad.

How much does a SAIPA Tiba cost in Iraq by the way? I tried to find it on Google but Iraqis apparently drop some zeroes from their currency because when I convert the numbers it looks impossibly cheap. And what other options do you guys have in that price range?

What other low quality products do we send you that disregard your quality control and assurance exactly? Be specific please.

 

[Aramagedon]

Iran disregards Iraq's export laws which includes quality control and assurance. Many Iranian products are of low quality and they're flooding the market by force, using some of their proxy influence in Baghdad threatening calls for reducing imports. All these mass imports are killing any attempts at local production.

The mass import of Saipa (major piece of shit) is a big example, other examples are everyday items including cheap electronics.

The useful imports from Iran are in the engineering sector which Iraq lacks, Iraq cannot just like that start building its own power plants etc. However, the amount of other shit it imports is damaging.



1991-2003 famine was because of a worldwide blockade, there is no blockade anymore. The country can survive without these mass imports. The local production needs to start, this government is heavily infiltrated by Iran. Just look at Kadhimi today, being threatened by Iranian proxies day and night.

Either way, my sole statement here was that this is another bad thing for Iraq. Hopefully the people wake up from their retarded Shia nonsense.

It has nothing to do with religion and has nothing to do with Shia. You can't produce goods in your country and you import them from Iran. Even if both of us were liberal countries your businessmen would do the same.

 

[Saddam Hussein]

SAIPA products are meant to be cheap cars targeted at an audience with a low income. They are criticized as well, but yet they have their own market because they are cheap. Compare SAIPA products to Chinese or Russian cars in the same price range and it won't look that bad. How much does a SAIPA Tiba cost in Iraq now?

What other low quality products do we send you that disregard your quality control and assurance exactly? Be specific please.

The poor quality of everyday products has been cited by many locals, a simple google search will give you hundreds of sources.

See below:
https://financialtribune.com/articl...52/iraqi-govt-adds-to-list-of-iran-import-ban

Certain bans were imposed as they can be producted locally. However, when half of our parliament is from Shiite political parties tied to Iran then little can be achieved.

It has nothing to do with religion or has nothing to do with Shia. You can't produce goods in your country and you import them from Iran.

Ability is not the issue, there is no attempt being made. Pre-2003 the country produced far more than it did today.

Flooding a market with cheap product makes it impossible for locals to take opportunity for local-production, it's economically not viable.

Lol

My point is.. Iran is economically damaging Iraq.

 

[Aspen]

Flooding a market with cheap product makes it impossible for locals to take opportunity for local-production, it's economically not viable.

Well that is exactly what China is doing

 

[QWECXZ]

The poor quality of everyday products has been cited by many locals, a simple google search will give you hundreds of sources.

See below:
https://financialtribune.com/articl...52/iraqi-govt-adds-to-list-of-iran-import-ban

Certain bans were imposed as they can be producted locally. However, when half of our parliament is from Shiite political parties tied to Iran then little can be achieved.

But the article you mentioned says they banned these products to boost your local companies, not because they were of low quality.

I have been to the UAE several times (as an example of a wealthy Arab country in the region). I can assure you that our juice, beverages, ice creams and pastries are of equally high quality compared to most of the things I found there. And my hotels always were in good parts of Dubai.

Our cement is actually quite good. If you don't believe me, read this article on The Economist:
Iran makes some of the world’s toughest concrete. It can cope with earthquakes and, perhaps, bunker-busting bombs
https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2012/03/03/smart-concrete

Also, we are one of the world's TOP 10 cement producers. We are pretty established in cement production.

And if you can, I'm still curious about the price of SAIPA products in Iraq.

 

[Aspen]

Our cement is actually quite good. If you don't believe me, read this article on The Economist:
Iran makes some of the world’s toughest concrete. It can cope with earthquakes and, perhaps, bunker-busting bombs
https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2012/03/03/smart-concrete

Also, we are one of the world's TOP 10 cement producers. We are pretty established in cement production.

That is absolutely fascinating, I had no idea about Iran's smart concrete. Thanks for posting that article

I will make a separate post about this later because I am sure many people will not know about it