{"id":11538,"date":"2023-03-02T16:37:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T13:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/minsk-looking-to-boost-ties-with-iran-to-mitigate-impact-of-sanctions\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"minsk-looking-to-boost-ties-with-iran-to-mitigate-impact-of-sanctions","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11538\/","title":{"rendered":"Minsk looking to boost ties with Iran to mitigate impact of sanctions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n <span>By Pavie\u0142 Macukievi\u010d, ex-diplomat<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n <b><span>Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka is preparing to visit Iran later this month in an effort to boost ties in the face of international sanctions. The countries will mark the 30<\/span><\/b><sup><b><span>th<\/span><\/b><\/sup><b><span><br \/>\n\tanniversary of diplomatic relations on March 18.<\/span><\/b>\n<\/p>\n<h2>Logistics<\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Logistics is Minsk\u2019s biggest worry now that international sanctions have cut off its access to sea ports in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine. Belarusian companies have serious problems shipping goods to Latin America, Africa, South and South East Asia. Belarus exports more than 60 percent of goods it produces.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Iran could be part of a solution. It is involved in the International North-South Transport Corridor, a combination of routes, including one running via the Caspian Sea to Iran and the Persian Gulf. The United States and Britain used the route to deliver lend-lease cargos to the Soviet Union during World War II.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Logistics is not the only item on \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s agenda. The Belarusian leader plans to discuss regional and international issues, as he said in his recent message to the Iranian president on the 44<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Trade<\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Belarus\u2019 top 10 export destinations in Asia\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Data for the first six months of 2022, US$ million (data for 2022 unavailable in open access)\n<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 1\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t China\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 752.7\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 2\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t India\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 125.8\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 3\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Thailand\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 46.5\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 4\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Indonesia\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 42.0\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 5\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Malaysia\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 39.3\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 6\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Mongolia\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 27.6\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 7\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Singapore\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 22.1\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 8\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Iran\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 20.8\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 9\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Vietnam\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 16.2\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 10\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Afghanistan\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 12.4\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\n\t &nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Two-way trade rose from $89,000 in 1993 to more than $100 million in 2022. However, Belarus\u2019 trade with Lithuania in the first six months of 2022 was six times the amount of annual trade with Iran despite political tension between Minsk and Vilnius.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Belarus\u2019 trade with Iran by year\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t US$ million\n<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Year\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Trade\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Exports\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t Imports\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 2018\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 61.7\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 49.2\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 12.5\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 2019\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 41.1\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 32.0\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 9.1\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 2020\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 24.6\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 12.6\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 12.0\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 2021\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 33.2\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 13.9\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>\n\t\t\t 19.3\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\n\t Belarus\u2019 goods exports rose almost six-fold last year to $81.3 million from $14 million in 2021. In 2011, Belarus sold $130 million worth of goods to Iran.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Belarus\u2019 key export items include potash fertilizers, lumber, synthetic threads, metal products, bearings, tractors and trucks. Imports include fruit, nuts, vegetables, plastic and medical goods.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Exports of services from Belarus to Iran amounted to $3.3 million in 2021 and $24 million in 2014.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Business<\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Iran may be of interest to Minsk as an alternative energy supplier to Russia. Belarus\u2019 Bie\u0142arusnafta joined a project in 2007 to develop the Jufair oil field, but withdrew in 2011 over differences and sanctions against Iran.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Around the same time, Iran Khodro set up a plant near Minsk to assemble Samand vehicles. The project was terminated in 2012.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Iran Khodro considers building a new assembly plant in Belarus for other car models.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Iranian companies owned and co-owned nearly 30 businesses in Belarus in 2020, including farms, a paint plant and a bank.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t The Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), a Minsk-based truck and bus company, launched an assembly plant in Iran in 2010.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Iran\u2019s Mahan Air has obtained permission to provide a passenger service between Tehran and Minsk.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Belavia operated the route before closing it in October 2017, citing low demand. The Iranian carrier probably hopes for a visa waiver advocated by Tehran.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Mahan Air executives visited Minsk in July 2022 to discuss the new passenger service and aircraft maintenance. The carrier operates old aircraft because US sanctions prevent it from replacing its fleet.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Incidents<\/h2>\n<p>\n\t In October 2008, Iranian fighter jets forced a Belarusian military transport aircraft to land in Busher as Defense Minister Leanid Malca\u016d was flying over Iran to Qatar to visit a defense show. The Belarusian foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to demand explanations. Iran apologized but would not made public the reasons for forcing the minister\u2019s plane to land.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t In January 2015, the Iranian ambassador in Minsk demanded explanations after Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s presidential administration used the term \u201cArabian Gulf\u201d instead of \u201cPersian Gulf\u201d in a message of condolences to Saudi Arabia. The message was posted on the presidential administration\u2019s website and quoted by BetTA, a state-controlled news agency.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Comprehensive plan<\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Minsk and Tehran have no political disagreements. Both countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement and see the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a new polar in the multi-polar world. Iran joined the SCO last year, while Minsk hopes to accede to it this year.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t International forums are conducive to rapprochement and give officials opportunities and pretexts to meet more often.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Minsk and Tehran have reportedly drafted a comprehensive plan of action, which may be signed during \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s visit.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Officials are hoping to boost trade to $1 billion but neither Minsk nor Tehran are willing to invest heavily in big projects because of sanctions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Pavie\u0142 Macukievi\u010d, ex-diplomat Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka is preparing to visit Iran later this month in an effort to boost ties in the face of international sanctions. The countries will mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations on March 18. Logistics Logistics is Minsk\u2019s biggest worry now that international sanctions have cut off its access to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11538","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Minsk looking to boost ties with Iran to mitigate impact of sanctions | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Pavie\u0142 Macukievi\u010d, ex-diplomat Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka is preparing to visit Iran later this month in an effort to boost ties in the face of international\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11538\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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