Over $85.56 million worth of tobacco products were imported during the five months of the current Iranian year (started March 20), the Islamic Republic of Iran Administration announced. Jordan, the UAE, Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Brazil and Hungary were the main exporters, Fars News Agency reported. According to deputy minister of industries, mining and trade, Mojtaba Khosrotaj, Iran produced about 28.7 billion cigarettes in the last fiscal year (March 2015-16). Imports stood at 13.6 billion. Cigarettes continue to be one of the most widely smuggled goods into Iran. Iran’s Headquarters for Combating the Smuggling of Goods and Foreign Exchange says close to 8.5 billion cigarettes were smuggled into the country last year, indicating a 29% decline compared to the previous year.
