Iran entered the top five of Tajikistan’s largest trading partners in 2025, ranking fifth by total trade turnover, as bilateral trade continued to grow despite a widening trade imbalance, according to official data.
Tajikistan-Iran trade rose sharply over the year, with total turnover increasing from $377.7 million in 2024 to $483.9 million in 2025, marking a 28% year-on-year growth, The Caspian Post reports, citing Daryo.uz.
The growth reflects stronger commercial ties, although imports from Iran significantly exceeded exports.
Tajikistan’s exports to Iran reached $112.8 million in 2025, while imports totaled $371.2 million, resulting in a trade deficit of $258.4 million. The figures underscore Tajikistan’s continued reliance on Iranian industrial and consumer goods.
Iranian exports to Tajikistan were dominated by petrochemical products, construction materials, and foodstuffs. Key shipments included oil bitumen worth $15.4 million, polymers such as polyethylene (over $10 million) and polypropylene ($11.1 million), cement and clinker totaling $12.8 million, as well as food items like pasta ($3.2 million), white sugar ($3.3 million), oranges ($2.6 million), and kiwi with combined imports exceeding $2 million. Additional imports included petroleum tar ($2.5 million) and detergents valued at $2.3-2.8 million.
Tajikistan’s exports to Iran remained largely raw-material based, with unprocessed cotton fiber accounting for the bulk, exceeding $74 million in 2025. Smaller exports included cotton yarn (over $480,000) and unwrought aluminum around $95,000.
Iran has also announced plans to launch new railway services to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, alongside Turkmenistan, aiming to enhance transport connectivity with Central Asia to support trade, tourism, and logistics. This initiative is part of Iran’s broader effort to modernize transport infrastructure and strengthen economic ties with Central Asian countries.
Despite Iran’s rise, it remains behind Tajikistan’s four largest trading partners - China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - which continue to dominate foreign trade flows. China and Russia hold the largest shares of total turnover, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan remain key regional partners, particularly in energy, industrial goods, and cross-border trade.
Separately, Kyrgyzstan has announced plans to increase bilateral trade with Tajikistan to $500 million in 2025, with both countries aiming to expand economic cooperation, cross-border projects, and energy collaboration, including joint work under the CASA-1000 initiative.
