Architecture in Iran
Top suppliers accounting for over three-quarters (77.6%) of Iran’s international purchases were: China (25.4%), United Arab Emirates (15.8%), South Korea (7.1%), Turkey (6.2%), Germany (6%), India (4.4%), Switzerland (4.2%), France (3.4%), Italy (2.8%) then Netherlands (2.3%).
From a continental perspective, over two-thirds (68%) of Iran’s total imports by value in 2017 were purchased from Asian countries. European trade partners supplied 28.4% of import purchases by Iran while 2.1% worth of goods originated from Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. A smaller percentage came from North American and African exporters, each at 0.5%.
Given Iran’s population of 82 million people, its total $51.6 billion in 2017 imports translates to roughly $630 in yearly product demand from every person in the Middle Eastern country.
Iran’s Top 10 Imports
Top 10
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Iran’s import purchases during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Iran.
At the more detailed four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Iran’s most valuable imported products are cars followed by corn, mobile phones, rice, drugs and medicines, soya beans then automotive parts or accessories.
- Machinery including computers: US$8.8 billion (17.1% of total imports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $4.9 billion (9.6%)
- Cereals: $3.4 billion (6.6%)
- Vehicles: $3.3 billion (6.4%)
- Iron, steel: $2.1 billion (4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $1.8 billion (3.5%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.7 billion (3.4%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.6 billion (3%)
- Oil seeds: $1.5 billion (2.9%)
- Organic chemicals: $1.4 billion (2.6%)
Iran’s top 10 imports accounted for 59.1% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported optical, technical and medical equipment had the fastest-growing increase in value among Iran’s top 10 import categories, up 34.3% from 2016 to 2017.
In second place for improving import purchases were organic chemicals, up 30.2%. Then came Iranian imports of cereals delivering the third-fastest gain at 22.2% driven by stronger Iranian demand for rice, corn and barley.
Oil seeds was the laggard among the top 10 Iranian imports, posting a more tepid 5.3% expansion.
Also see the section Searchable List of Iran’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article.
Machinery
In 2017, Iranian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Temperature-change machines: US$647.8 million (up 195.4% from 2016)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $524.5 million (up 12.6%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $456.2 million (up 17.9%)
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: $373.3 million (down -14.4%)
- Computers, optical readers: $370.2 million (up 20.5%)
- Air conditioners: $328.2 million (down -23.9%)
- Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines: $308.4 million (up 11.3%)
- Piston engine parts: $286.2 million (up 33%)
- Steam/vapor turbines: $281.4 million (up 6.9%)
- Turbo-jets: $274.2 million (up 169%)
Among these import subcategories, Iran’s purchases of temperature-change machines (up 195.4%), turbo-jets (up 169%) and piston engine parts (up 33%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among Iranian businesses and consumers.
Electronics
In 2017, Iranian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics-related goods.
- Phone system devices including smartphones: US$1.4 billion (up 33.1% from 2016)
- TV/radio/radar device parts: $585.6 million (up 5.2%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $287.5 million (up 53.3%)
- Carbon electrodes, brushes for lamps or batteries: $221.5 million (up 184.4%)
- Electric motors, generators: $191.8 million (up 20.9%)
- Filament/discharge lamps: $166.2 million (up 125.2%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $152 million (up 38.7%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $129.6 million (up 70.5%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $118.1 million (up 83.7%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $110.8 million (up 18.4%)
Among these import subcategories, imports of carbon electrodes, brushes for lamps or batteries (up 184.4%), filament or discharge lamps (up 125.2%) and solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 83.7%), grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electronics-related imports among Iranian businesses and consumers.
Cereals
In 2017, Iranian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of cereals.
- Corn: US$1.6 billion (up 13.4% from 2016)
- Rice: $1.2 billion (up 75.8%)
- Barley: $518.5 million (up 95.6%)
- Wheat: $20.3 million (down -94.6%)
- Buckwheat, millet, canary seeds: $11.3 million (up 61.9%)
- Oats: $408,000 (up 1,600%)
Among these import subcategories, Iranian imports of oats (up 1,600%), barley (up 95.6%) and rice (up 75.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of cereals-related imports among Iranian businesses and consumers.
Vehicles
In 2017, Iranian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$1.8 billion (down -8.4% from 2016)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $905.5 million (up 48.0%)
- Trucks: $209.2 million (up 66.7%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $123.2 million (down -18.4%)
- Tractors: $66.1 million (down -23.8%)
- Trailers: $64.4 million (up 51%)
- Automobile bodies: $24.8 million (up 10.4%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $22 million (up 13.2%)
- Chassis fitted with engine: $18.4 million (up 349.9%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $8 million (down -47.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Iran’s purchases of chassis fitted with engine (up 349.9%), trucks (up 66.7%) and trailers (up 51%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Iranian businesses and consumers.
Searchable List of Iran’s Most Valuable Import Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, the top products imported into Iran are cars followed by corn, mobile phones, rice, drugs and medicines, soya beans then automotive parts or accessories.
The following searchable table displays 200 of Iran’s most in-demand imported goods during 2017. Shown beside each product label is its total import value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2016.
| Rank | Iran's Import Product | 2017 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $1.8 billion | -8.4% |
| 2 | Corn | $1.6 billion | +13.4% |
| 3 | Phone system devices | $1.4 billion | +33.1% |
| 4 | Rice | $1.2 billion | +75.8% |
| 5 | Medication mixes in dosage | $1.1 billion | +10% |
| 6 | Soya beans | $943.3 million | +3.8% |
| 7 | Automobile parts/accessories | $905.5 million | +48% |
| 8 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $675.1 million | +35.6% |
| 9 | Temperature-change machines | $647.8 million | +195.4% |
| 10 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $585.6 million | +5.2% |
| 11 | Frozen beef | $562.5 million | +51.5% |
| 12 | Bananas, plantains | $544.4 million | +15.9% |
| 13 | Air or vacuum pumps | $524.5 million | +12.6% |
| 14 | Barley | $518.5 million | +95.6% |
| 15 | Soya-bean oil-cake, other solid residues | $503.3 million | -17.2% |
| 16 | Miscellaneous machinery | $456.2 million | +17.9% |
| 17 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $453.6 million | -9.4% |
| 18 | Fiberboard (wood, other ligneous matter) | $448.2 million | -8.9% |
| 19 | Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil | $439.5 million | +73.8% |
| 20 | Rubber tires (new) | $427.8 million | +17.5% |
| 21 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $415.1 million | +29.7% |
| 22 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $373.3 million | -14.4% |
| 23 | Computers, optical readers | $370.2 million | +20.5% |
| 24 | Palm oil | $367.1 million | +20.2% |
| 25 | Dried shelled vegetables | $364.3 million | +61.8% |
| 26 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $339.7 million | +19% |
| 27 | Iron ferroalloys | $328.2 million | +243.1% |
| 28 | Air conditioners | $328.2 million | -23.9% |
| 29 | Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $326.5 million | +65.1% |
| 30 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $308.4 million | +11.3% |
| 31 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $295.5 million | +13.3% |
| 32 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $295.3 million | -5.4% |
| 33 | Electric generating sets, converters | $287.5 million | +53.3% |
| 34 | Piston engine parts | $286.2 million | +33% |
| 35 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $283.8 million | +48.4% |
| 36 | Tea (including flavored) | $282.7 million | +8.3% |
| 37 | Steam/vapor turbines | $281.4 million | +6.9% |
| 38 | Coated paper, paperboard | $274.7 million | +19.1% |
| 39 | Turbo-jets | $274.2 million | +169% |
| 40 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $273.9 million | +21.8% |
| 41 | Refrigerators, freezers | $271.6 million | -3.1% |
| 42 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $266.9 million | +0.4% |
| 43 | Other food preparations | $251.2 million | +12.7% |
| 44 | Aluminum oxide/hydroxide | $250.4 million | +171.7% |
| 45 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $249.7 million | -11.4% |
| 46 | Amino-resins | $249.6 million | +62% |
| 47 | Miscellaneous locomotives, rolling stock | $248.2 million | +32.1% |
| 48 | Cellulose fiber paper | $243.1 million | +14.2% |
| 49 | Orthopedic appliances | $242.2 million | +22.3% |
| 50 | Uncarded synthetic staple fibers | $239.6 million | +23.5% |
| 51 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $234.1 million | +14.3% |
| 52 | Soya-bean oil | $228.4 million | +28.4% |
| 53 | Non-stainless alloy steel flat-rolled goods | $222.7 million | -48.7% |
| 54 | Carbon electrodes/brushes, lamp/battery carbons | $221.5 million | +184.4% |
| 55 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $216.3 million | +19.2% |
| 56 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $213.9 million | -12.2% |
| 57 | Piston engines | $209.8 million | +19.5% |
| 58 | Trucks | $209.2 million | +66.7% |
| 59 | Weaving machines (loom) | $205.6 million | +41.4% |
| 60 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $205.3 million | +13.3% |
| 61 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $204.4 million | +34.8% |
| 62 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $201 million | +39.7% |
| 63 | Synthetic yarn woven fabrics | $200.5 million | -2.1% |
| 64 | Butter, other fats/oils from milk | $196.6 million | +6.6% |
| 65 | Electric motors, generators | $191.8 million | +20.9% |
| 66 | Ethylene polymers | $183.7 million | -3.7% |
| 67 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $182.8 million | +27.7% |
| 68 | Metal-casting machines | $174.8 million | +210.9% |
| 69 | Printing machinery | $167.8 million | +7.4% |
| 70 | X-ray equipment | $167 million | +62.9% |
| 71 | Filament/discharge lamps | $166.2 million | +125.2% |
| 72 | Regulate/control instruments | $165.5 million | +64.3% |
| 73 | Sawn wood | $152.3 million | +9.7% |
| 74 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $152 million | +38.7% |
| 75 | Sowing seeds, fruits, spores | $150 million | +7.2% |
| 76 | Washing machines | $149.9 million | -7.1% |
| 77 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $146.7 million | +11,211% |
| 78 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $146.1 million | +40.2% |
| 79 | Anti-knock/oxidation/gum inhibitors | $144.5 million | +42.3% |
| 80 | Natural rubber | $143.1 million | +56.5% |
| 81 | Pulp-making/paper-finishing machines | $142 million | +110.9% |
| 82 | Processed petroleum oils | $141.9 million | +37.5% |
| 83 | Cotton (uncarded, uncombed) | $140.2 million | +24.2% |
| 84 | Railway track construction material | $136.9 million | -12.3% |
| 85 | Sunflower seeds | $136.2 million | +8% |
| 86 | Other nitrogen compounds | $134.1 million | +52.4% |
| 87 | Textile fiber work machines | $131.8 million | +190.9% |
| 88 | Synthetic filament yarn | $131.3 million | +22.7% |
| 89 | Electrical converters/power units | $129.6 million | +70.5% |
| 90 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $129.5 million | +101.5% |
| 91 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $128.6 million | +35.3% |
| 92 | Sheep or goat meat | $128.6 million | +634% |
| 93 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $126.4 million | +35.3% |
| 94 | Calculators, accounting/ticket machines, cash registers | $124.3 million | -14.4% |
| 95 | Motorcycle parts/accessories | $123.2 million | -18.4% |
| 96 | Antibiotics | $123 million | +6.8% |
| 97 | Oil seeds | $121.7 million | -5.5% |
| 98 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $121 million | +36.3% |
| 99 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $118.1 million | +83.7% |
| 100 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $116.8 million | +24.5% |
| 101 | Phosphatic fertilizers | $115.3 million | +3,502% |
| 102 | Other coloring matter, luminophores | $111.2 million | +28.8% |
| 103 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $110.8 million | +18.4% |
| 104 | Moulding boxes/base | $108 million | +22.6% |
| 105 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $106.5 million | +36.7% |
| 106 | Textile fabrics with plastics | $105.6 million | -29.8% |
| 107 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $105.4 million | +1.2% |
| 108 | Provitamins, vitamins | $105.1 million | +100.7% |
| 109 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $104 million | +14.8% |
| 110 | Synthetic organic coloring | $102.3 million | +16% |
| 111 | Acrylic polymers | $101.6 million | +25.8% |
| 112 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $99.8 million | +89% |
| 113 | #N/A | $99.2 million | +21.7% |
| 114 | Other measuring/testing machines | $99.0 million | +12% |
| 115 | Household glassware | $98.9 million | +19.7% |
| 116 | Pipe/chewing/snuff tobaccos | $98 million | +42.8% |
| 117 | Unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco waste | $96 million | -47.6% |
| 118 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $95.5 million | +1% |
| 119 | Wheeled toys including tricycles, scooters | $94.8 million | +31.7% |
| 120 | Insulated wire/cable | $93.8 million | +76.3% |
| 121 | Machinery parts | $91.8 million | -25.6% |
| 122 | Ball, roller bearings | $91.2 million | +15% |
| 123 | Printed circuits | $90.3 million | +14.4% |
| 124 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $88.5 million | +47.7% |
| 125 | Synthetic rubber | $88.3 million | +31.3% |
| 126 | Metal-rolling mills | $86.8 million | -46.6% |
| 127 | Non-electric industrial/laboratory furnaces, ovens | $86.6 million | +1.1% |
| 128 | Hair preparations | $86.2 million | +25.7% |
| 129 | Industrial preparation machinery | $85.6 million | -15.3% |
| 130 | Lifting/loading machinery | $85.5 million | +11.8% |
| 131 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $84.4 million | +63.9% |
| 132 | Iron or steel pipe fittings | $83.5 million | -14.2% |
| 133 | Electric storage batteries | $81.5 million | +24.6% |
| 134 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $81.2 million | +12.1% |
| 135 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $81 million | -13.8% |
| 136 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $79.5 million | +73.8% |
| 137 | Paper wallpaper, wallcoverings | $78.2 million | +37.6% |
| 138 | Fertilizer mixes | $78.2 million | +8.4% |
| 139 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $78 million | +30.5% |
| 140 | Hand, pneumatic or hydraulic tools | $77.5 million | +9.1% |
| 141 | Industrial fatty acids and alcohols | $76.2 million | +35.1% |
| 142 | Dairy and milking machines | $76.2 million | -35% |
| 143 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $76 million | +73.3% |
| 144 | Whole fish (frozen) | $75.9 million | -30.6% |
| 145 | Organo-sulphur compounds | $75.7 million | +11.5% |
| 146 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $75.2 million | +21.9% |
| 147 | Harvest/threshing machinery | $73.6 million | +48.9% |
| 148 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $73.3 million | +21.5% |
| 149 | Synthetic filament tow | $72.7 million | +34% |
| 150 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $70.8 million | +14.5% |
| 151 | Animal/vegetable fats, oils | $70.4 million | +58.3% |
| 152 | Computer parts, accessories | $70.2 million | +4.1% |
| 153 | Prepared adhesives, glues | $68.6 million | +0.7% |
| 154 | Rubber accelerators, plasticizers | $68.2 million | +38.9% |
| 155 | Acyclic alcohols | $67.9 million | +18.8% |
| 156 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $67.8 million | +17.3% |
| 157 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $67.3 million | +15.9% |
| 158 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $67.3 million | +11.8% |
| 159 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $66.8 million | -10% |
| 160 | Unrecorded sound media | $66.1 million | +18.7% |
| 161 | Tractors | $66.1 million | -23.8% |
| 162 | #N/A | $66 million | +96.6% |
| 163 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $66 million | +87.7% |
| 164 | Saturated acyclic mono acids | $64.5 million | +43.2% |
| 165 | Potassic fertilizers (mineral, chemical) | $64.5 million | +20.6% |
| 166 | Trailers | $64.4 million | +51% |
| 167 | Glass fibers | $64 million | -5.3% |
| 168 | Wrist/pocket watches (no precious metal case) | $62.9 million | +68.4% |
| 169 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $62.4 million | +24.4% |
| 170 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $62 million | +21.1% |
| 171 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $61.1 million | +22.0% |
| 172 | Electronics light assembling machines | $60.9 million | +39.2% |
| 173 | Machine tools to nail, staple, glue or assemble | $60.7 million | +22.1% |
| 174 | Pulley tackles, hoists, winches, jacks | $59.4 million | -0.5% |
| 175 | Polyamides | $58.8 million | +12.6% |
| 176 | Machine-tool for metal | $58.3 million | +62.9% |
| 177 | Millstones, grindstones, grindwheels | $58.2 million | +28.8% |
| 178 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $57.9 million | +63.6% |
| 179 | Electromechanic domestic appliances | $57.8 million | +9.8% |
| 180 | Pharmaceutical preparations, other products | $57 million | +25.5% |
| 181 | Razors, blades | $55.8 million | +24.4% |
| 182 | Amino-compounds (oxygen) | $55.5 million | -5.9% |
| 183 | Industrial/laboratory electric furnaces, ovens | $55.1 million | +4% |
| 184 | Synthetic staple fibers yarn | $55.1 million | -22.4% |
| 185 | Rape/colza seeds | $54.8 million | +23.5% |
| 186 | Radar, radio communication items | $54.7 million | -94% |
| 187 | Petroleum coke, bitumen, oil residues | $54 million | +211.5% |
| 188 | Zinc ores, concentrates | $53.7 million | +231.5% |
| 189 | Miscellaneous office machines | $53.3 million | +42.8% |
| 190 | Fish fillets, pieces | $52.5 million | -17.7% |
| 191 | Polycarboxylic acids | $52.4 million | +72.1% |
| 192 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $52.4 million | -5.7% |
| 193 | Radio broadcasting/reception equipment | $51.9 million | +67.6% |
| 194 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $51.7 million | +74.1% |
| 195 | Metal sheeting gaskets, joints | $51.7 million | +20.4% |
| 196 | Photographic plates/film, unexposed | $50.3 million | +33% |
| 197 | Vacuum cleaners | $49.7 million | +35.4% |
| 198 | Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections | $49.1 million | -12.4% |
| 199 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $48.5 million | +27% |
| 200 | Yarn wash/clean/iron machines | $48.3 million | +48.5% |
These 200 imported goods were worth a subtotal of US$39.8 billion or over three-quarters (77%) by value for all products imported into Iran during 2017.
See also Iran’s Top 10 Exports, China’s Top 10 Exports and Top Middle Eastern Export Countries
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on October 27, 2018
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on October 27, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on October 27, 2018
Wikipedia, Iran. Accessed on October 27, 2018
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