Iranian imports amounted to US$27 billion in 2022.

That estimated dollar amount results from a -34.6% decline compared to $41.2 billion in 2018.

Year over year, international spending on Iranian imported goods inflated by -49.1% from $53 billion for 2021.

Officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Middle Eastern country is historically referred to as Persia.

At the detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, the top 5 Iranian imports are corn, soya beans, automobile parts or accessories, rice and wheat. Four of Iran’s 5 most valuable imported goods are foods. Collectively, Iran’s 5 most valuable exports generated about one-quarter (25.7%) of the country’s globally exported products in 2022.

Major International Buyers of Iranian Exports

The latest available country-specific data shows that 86.5% of products imported by Iran were furnished by exporters in: United Arab Emirates (31.2% of the Iranian total), mainland China (24.1%), Türkiye (10%), Germany (3.6%), Russia (3.1%), India (3%), Switzerland (2.9%), Iraq (2.3%), United Kingdom (2.2%), Netherlands (1.7%), Italy (1.4%) and Oman (1.2%).

From a continental perspective, over three-quarters (78.9%) of Iran’s total imports by value in 2022 was purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners located in Europe supplied another 18.6% of Iranian import purchases.

Smaller percentages came from sellers in Latin America (2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, North America (0.3%), Africa (0.1%), then Oceania (0.05%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Iran’s population of 85.7 million people, its total $27 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $320 in yearly product demand from every person in the Middle Eastern country. That per-capita amount falls below the average $460 per person for 2021.

Iran’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Iran’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Iran.

1. Cereals: US$4.5 billion (16.6% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $3.8 billion (14%)
3. Vehicles: $2.2 billion (8.1%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $1.9 billion (7.1%)
5. Oil seeds: $1.8 billion (6.9%)
6. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $1.1 billion (3.9%)
7. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $865 million (3.2%)
8. Pharmaceuticals: $821.2 million (3%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $818.1 million (3%)
10. Organic chemicals: $677.3 million (2.5%)

By value, Iran’s top 10 imports recorded over two-thirds (68.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

There was a pair of advancing top product categories, namely vehicles (up 5.7% from 2021) and oil seeds (up 1.3%).

Leading Iran’s decliners were electrical machinery and equipment (down -74.6%), organic chemicals (down -66.5%), animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes (down -61.6%) then pharmaceuticals (down -57.3%).

Iran’s Imports of Cereals

In 2022, Iranian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of cereals.

1. Corn: US$2.3 billion (down -32.7% from 2021)
2. Rice: $1.2 billion (up 58.8%)
3. Wheat: $649.3 million (down -73.9%)
4. Barley: $364.6 million (down -63.7%)
5. Grain sorghum $992,000 (no change)
6. Buckwheat, millet, canary seed: $958,000 (down -58.1%)
7. Oats $192,000 (up 95.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Iran’s purchases of oats (up 95.9%) and rice (up 58.8%) were the only gainers from 2021 to 2022.

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.

Iran’s Imports of Machinery Products Including Computers

In 2022, Iranian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Air or vacuum pumps: US$304.1 million (down -37.1% from 2021)
2. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $238.8 million (up 9.9%)
3. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $237.3 million (up 144.9%)
4. Liquid pumps and elevators: $221.3 million (up 3.4%)
5. Piston engines: $168.9 million (up 41.6%)
6. Piston engine parts: $164 million (down -19.3%)
7. Temperature-change machines: $133 million (down -60.4%)
8. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $129.4 million (down -42.9%)
9. Rubber/plastic article making machines: $128.5 million (down -42.9%)
10. Ball, roller bearings: $127.8 million (down -26%)

Among these import subcategories, Iranian purchases of transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 144.9%), piston engines (up 41.6%), then taps, valves and similar appliances (up 9.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

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.

Iran’s Imports of Vehicles

In 2022, Iranian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of automobiles and related products.

1. Automobile parts/accessories: US$1.2 billion (up 75.2% from 2021)
2. Automobile bodies: $553.5 million (up 3081.5%)
3. Motorcycles: $129.8 million (up 4466.7%)
4. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $106.8 million (up 52.4%)
5. Trucks: $51.7 million (down -74.5%)
6. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $37.1 million (up 102,839%)
7. Trailers: $35.7 million (down -23.4%)
8. Tractors: $33.3 million (down -96.6%)
9. Special purpose vehicles: $7.8 million (up 63.7%)
10. Chassis fitted with engine: $7.7 million (up 9156.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Iranian purchases of bicycles plus other non-motorized cycles (up 102,839%), chassis fitted with engine (up 9,157%) then motorcycles (up 4,467%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported organic chemicals among businesses and consumers in Iran.

Iran’s Imports of Electrical Items

In 2022, Iranian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics-related goods.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$389.5 million (down -91.3% from 2021)
2. Electric motors, generators: $195 million (down -7.1%)
3. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $133.3 million (down -26.7%)
4. Insulated wire/cable: $120.2 million (up 108.9%)
5. Electrical converters/power units: $80 million (down -29.1%)
6. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $64.3 million (down -38%)
7. Electrical lighting/signaling equipment, defrosters: $63 million (up 83.7%)
8. Electric ignition/start equipment: $56.3 million (down -6.1%)
9. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $56.1 million (up 33.7%)
10. Electric generating sets, converters: $52.6 million (down -81.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Iranian purchases of insulated wire and cable (up 108.9%), electrical lighting or signaling equipment and defrosters (up 83.7%) then electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 33.7%) grew from 2021 to 2022.

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.

See also Iran’s Top 10 Exports, China’s Top Trading Partners, Turkey’s Top Trading Partners, Iraq’s Top Trading Partners and Iraq’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, Country Profiles. Accessed on September 27, 2023

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on September 27, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 27, 2023

Wikipedia, Iran. Accessed on September 27, 2023