Croatian business delegation in Iran

Yusef Jalali
Press TV, Tehran

Croatia is not a household name on Iran's list of foreign trade, but these business people say this will no longer be the case.

On the 30th anniversary of the Iran-Croatia resumption of diplomatic ties, a large business delegation from Zagreb is in Tehran to find areas of cooperation between the two countries with a focus on Halal trade.

Halal trade is an umbrella term for any business that is permissible by Islamic law. Halal food and Halal tourism are the major focus of Halal trade between Iran and Croatia, among other Southeast European nations.

The size of the Halal market is roughly two trillion dollars. As a Muslim country, Iran is one of the major producers and consumers of Halal products.

The Iran-based World Halal Institute, which has organized this summit, says Iran's Halal food export currently stands at five billion US dollars. It says the potential is staggeringly higher.

In 2021, Eastern Europe traded 688 billion dollars worth of goods with the world.

Iran accounts for a trivial 350 million dollars of this figure. Iranian and Croatian Commerce Chambers here signed MoUs to lay out the road map for stronger trade ties between Iran and Croatia and the rest of Southeastern Europe.

Croatia has been one of the few Western countries that have maintained their business ties with Iran during US sanctions. Croatian businesses here say if there is a will, there is a way, and Halal Trade is one of those channels that can boost trade between the two sides despite the existing restrictions.

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