Yasoub Nejad Mohammad attributed the downturn to the Third Imposed War, which affected export performance during the period. The six-month reporting period corresponds to the first half of the Iranian calendar year 1405, from March 20 to September 21, 2026.

The province’s main export commodities included agricultural products, hydrocarbons, methanol, particleboard, rubber products, paint, melamine-faced medium-density fibreboard (MDF), tiles and ceramics, balls, steel and iron. Most shipments went to neighbouring and regional markets, including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Russia, Turkmenistan and Georgia.

Imports through Ardabil’s customs offices totalled 6,000 tonnes, valued at $47 million, during the same period. Compared with the corresponding period of the previous Iranian calendar year, import volume rose 34%, while import value increased 54%.

Despite the decline in export performance, customs revenue in the province surged by 456% year on year in the first half of 2026, Nejad-Mohammad said.

The figures point to contrasting trends in Ardabil’s cross-border trade, with exports facing pressure while imports and customs revenue recorded substantial increases.