Domestic Economy Desk

The government’s main policy in foreign trade is to regulate imports and promote exports, said the head of Iran’s Customs Administration (ICA).
Abbas Memarnejad added that promotion of infrastructures for boosting non-oil exports in border regions is one of the major policies of ICA, IRNA reported.
He said over $1 billion worth of commodities were exported to Iraq via Mehran’s international border, Ilam province, in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2013).
Memarnejad said ICA is ready to launch a special economic zone at the Mehran border.
"Iraq has become Iran’s top trade partner,” he said.
Ali Mahdavi, the head of Ilam’s Industries, Mines and Commerce Department, said Ilam ranks second in terms of exports nationwide.
Mahdavi named fruits and vegetables, construction materials, bricks, cement and vehicles as major export items.
"The figure has grown by 151 percent against the same period of last year,” he said.
Close to 800 trucks enter Iraq through Mehran’s international border every day.