Envoy: South Africa best country for exporting Iranian commodities

Qomi Movahedi said the ground is prepared for exporting the Iranian commodities to all African countries including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia.

He added that among the African counties, South Africa enjoys the best markets for exporting Iranian goods and services.

The Iranian diplomat said bitumen, oil, petrochemicals, construction materials, foods, carpets, oil and gas industries as well as the technical and engineering services could be exported to South Africa.

He added that Iran's Port and Maritime Organization also has voiced its willingness to export the Iranian commodities to the South African ports.

Recently, Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture’s Director General for Arab and African affairs said Iran and South Africa are planning to achieve $ 2 billion trade exchanges by 2021.

“In spite of strong cultural and political ties and high capacity for cooperation, the two countries' economic and trade level is not desirable,” Shahram Khassi Pour, Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture's Director General for Arab and African affairs said, referring to lack of proportionality in the volume of Iran-South Africa trade.

“Expanding commercial and economic Iran-South Africa ties is of major importance for the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added while pointing to South Africa as one of Iran's targets to expand relations in Africa.

South Africa, as one the greatest economic systems of the world and a member of BRICS (an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), has an important position in Africa’s market, Kassi Pour noted.

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