“Our target markets include Asian states, and particularly southeastern Asian markets among the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa,” he told ISNA.

Iranian tradesmen are interested in southeast Asian markets, Tofiqi said, adding Africa is the second largest partner of Iran after Asia, although Iran exports less products to the country comparing to Asia.

Iranian Economy Minister Seyed Shamseddin Hosseini has already said Iran’s non-oil exports witnessed an eye-catching growth in the last Iranian year (ended March 20) despite the sanctions and restrictions imposed by the West on Tehran.

“The value of the country’s non-oil goods exported last year hit $41.3 billion,” the Iranian economy minister said.

 He noted that the figure shows an increase as compared with last year due to growth in tourism sector and exports of agricultural and mineral products.

 Earlier this year, Head of the Exports Commission of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Asadollah Asgaroladi said that his commission plans to equalize the volume of the country’s non-oil exports and imports in the next Iranian year (started March 21).

 “If we are due to import goods worth about $60bln to $65bln, the country should have the same amount of exports,” Asgaroladi said in February.