The US decision of intervene directly in the conflict between Israel and Iran It is only the last brick of a wall that the Islamic Republic for years has seen the West build between itself and the West. In particular with Europe, necessarily tightened to the interests of the great American protector.
For some years now, and in particular after October 7, 2023, economic relations and commercial exchanges between the EU and Iran have faded, with the necessary exceptions State by state. Italy has undoubtedly seen one contraction of import-export volumes with the Islamic Republic From 2017 to today. Because of multiple factors.
How much commercial exchanges between Italy and Iran apply
The economic and mercantile relationships between the two countries have always been firm, with moments of tension determined by international and Middle Eastern crises. Like the last, determined by the American attack against Iranian nuclear sites.
Until a few years ago, exports to Iran represented a strategic dossier for our countryfor an exchange that in 2017 touched the 5 billion euros. At the time Italy was in fact the First commercial partner of the Islamic Republic throughout Europe.
The Euro-American sanctions then determined a turnaround. In 2019 Italian exports to Iran went down to 970 million eurosin 2022 by less than 490 million.
The data currently available do not allow to quantify with certainty the merchant exchange updated to 2024-2025. The total exchange between the two countries is estimated to be approximately 630 million euros a total of. Of which most consistent in Italian exports.
Result: today Iran today has become the80th destination market of Italian goods. Italy, in the reverse, has become the 33rd destination market of Persian exports.
The impact of the penalties on trade between Italy and Iran
It was said that from 2017 Italo-Iranian exchanges dropped. There is a precise reason. In the 2018 The first American administration led by Donald Trump came out of the nuclear agreement, determining the imposition of penalties against Iran. Also by his European satellites, including Italy.
However, the EU has devised several systems to continue trading with Tehran outside the US secondary and secondary sanctions, for example theInstrument in Support of Trade Exchages. Nonetheless, the economic-American ties between Italy and Iran have now reached the minimum levels.
In general, About 2,150 products (especially consumer goods) Out of exit from the Islamic Republic have been largely blocked by Western measures and Iranian protectionism.
Sectors and goods, identikit of the import-export between Italy and Iran
Metallurgy, components, automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical products and industrial machinery have represented a crucial asset For Iran since the second post -war period.
Machinery and appliancesin particular, still represent today 42.6% of total Italian exports towards the Islamic Republic, for a value of about 156 million euros. The flow of other goods is quantifiable as follows:
- chemicals – about 14%;
- electrical devices – about 9%;
- rubber and plastic goods – about 6%.
Bilateral cooperation was then based on the exchange with Iranian energy and natural resources. At present, the main imports from the Gulf country in Italy consist in agricultural products, fish and deriving from the forestryfor a total volume of over 55 million euros. Chemicals follow (about 33 million euros).
