Iran and Armenia trade exchange has resumed but is limited

Speaking to ILNA news agency, the Iranian official added that at present, Iran-Armenia exchanges are carried out according to health protocols between the two sides.

“Goods that can be exchanged between the two countries are exported by Transhipment method and they are exported only from the Meghri border,” he said.

The head of Iran's Export Confederation confirmed “Of course, agricultural and food products not currently exporting; adding that only Armenian citizens can travel to this country after 14 days of quarantine.

Lahoti pointed to the situation of other borders and said “At the Iraqi border, goods are transported only through Bashmak and Marivan border and in Oman, goods are traded in limited numbers in some ports, such as the port of Sultan Qaboos.”

“We are currently witnessing a large volume of goods for export from China to Iran in the United Arab Emirates ports,” he said.

Iran is Armenia's sixth-largest trading partner, with over $400 million in trade turnover last year. More importantly, it is also a crucial link to the outside world, representing one of only two open land borders for the landlocked country: some 80 percent of Armenia's borders -- with Azerbaijan and Turkey -- are sealed due to the long-running conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Last month in the special Committee meeting on Prevention of Corona Virus in Armenia, the Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan emphasized the importance of continuing trade relations with Iran and urged the Armenian Minister of Economy to take action to remove any obstacles to trade between the two countries.

‌The Coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19, was first detected in Wuhan, China, and has now spread to more than 120 countries.

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