Latest data released by Eurostat show that trade between Iran and the European Union continued its downward trajectory in 2025, reflecting the impact of ongoing financial restrictions, weakened demand and lingering uncertainty surrounding Iran’s international trade environment.
According to the figures, total EU-Iran trade in the first nine months of the year reached €2.82 billion, marking an 18% decline compared with €3.47 billion during the same period in 2024.
The contraction was driven primarily by a sharp fall in European exports to Iran. EU shipments between January and September 2025 dropped 21%, amounting to €2.23 billion, down from €2.84 billion a year earlier. Analysts say the decline reflects tighter compliance by European companies, limited access to payment channels, and reduced capacity among Iranian importers amid a slower domestic economy.
EU imports from Iran also edged down, though at a milder pace. European purchases of Iranian goods totaled €587 million in the nine-month period, representing a 6% decrease from €627 million in 2024. The modest scale of imports underscores the limited diversification of Iran’s export basket to Europe, which remains dominated by non-energy items following the collapse of crude oil trade after 2018.
