Why it matters:
Africa is a region where countries and industrial powers compete to dominate its markets, so that today, China, along with Western powers, has the most competition to dominate its markets.
What he's saying:
Mohammad-Reza Safari, head of TPOI’s Africa Office, said on Tuesday that exports between March 21 and June 22, 2025, had increased sharply compared with the same period last year. He added that Iran’s trade surplus with the continent had reached 113 per cent, with the number of African importers rising from 27 to 32 countries.
Safari called for a strategic shift in trade policy, citing rising energy and transport costs and new US tariffs on African exports.
He urged a pivot toward high-value-added goods and offshore production in African nations, an approach he noted has long been adopted by China.
Go deeper:
Bilateral trade between Iran and African countries currently stands at approximately $1.3bn, with both sides aiming to raise that figure to between $3bn and $5bn by the end of 2025.
Hossein Amiri
