Iran and Belarus have agreed to expand cooperation across farming, forestry, and veterinary services, paving the way for deeper trade in timber and other bio‑based commodities. The agreement was reached during a meeting in Tehran between Iran’s Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh and Belarusian Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov, who described the commitments as a practical step toward broader economic integration.
And whilst the talks covered agriculture, machinery, and fertiliser production, forestry emerged as a surprising area of alignment. As it stands, Belarus is a leading supplier of timber to Iran – one of the dozen or so friendly countries that still trade freely with Russia and Belarus. In 2024, for example, almost 85,000 tonnes of Belarusian timber were shipped to Iranian buyers, according to data from the Belarusian Railway Workers’ Community.
Under the new framework, Iran will supply part of Belarus’ food needs, while Minsk will export agricultural raw materials required by Tehran — including timber, pulp, and wood‑based construction and manufacturing inputs. Iranian officials also signalled readiness to facilitate the transit of Belarusian forestry products to other regional markets, potentially positioning Iran as a southern gateway for Belarus to circumvent sanctions and trade forest products into global markets.
A major outcome of the meeting was an agreement to jointly produce potash fertilizer in Iran, with Belarus supplying part of the potassium feedstock. The two sides also committed to co‑manufacturing heavy agricultural machinery — including tractors, combines, and trucks — in partnership with Iranian firms such as Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company.
Iran’s first vice president, Mohammadreza Aref, reinforced the message in a separate meeting with Kuznetsov, saying Tehran sees “no restrictions” on expanding cooperation with Belarus. He described the two economies as complementary and argued that their alignment in international forums and regional organisations creates a strong foundation for deeper trade.
Aref said the successful conclusion of the eighteenth session of the joint economic committee had created new momentum for bilateral engagement. He urged both governments to empower the private sector to drive growth, particularly under the free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.
For Belarus — which has redirected its timber exports toward “friendly nations” following Western sanctions — Iran represents a stable and expanding market. For Tehran, Belarusian timber offers a reliable supply of construction materials amid rising domestic demand for wood‑based products.
