Russia’s trade and investment into the Middle East is rapidly developing, with relations both through the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League all helping boost bilateral trade by 25% during 2025. Partially driven by the developments along the INSTC, and new regional free trade agreements, we provide analysis of the growing Russia-Middle East economic partnership. Discover trade statistics, investment flows from the GCC, and business opportunities for companies in both regions.
Russia’s buckwheat exports doubled year-on-year to 110,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2025, the Agroexport federal center has reported. China remained the biggest importer, purchasing 96% of Russian buckwheat exports. Turkey imported 1% and Iran also 1%. Agroexport said that Turkey had imported a record 1,200 tonnes of buckwheat, while Iraq purchased Russian buckwheat […]
In another sign of shifting supply chains, Russia’s FESCO Transport Group has organised the first shipment of imported dates in a refrigerated container from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Russia. 23 tonnes of dried dates were loaded into a FESCO refrigerated container and delivered to the UAE’s Jebel Ali Port. The cargo was then loaded […]
Trilateral talks between representatives of Iran, Russia, and China on the Iranian nuclear program have been taking place in Moscow (April 8). The talks were arranged a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected as “meaningless” US President Donald Trump’s proposal for direct negotiations on reviving a nuclear deal. Tehran refuses to engage in […]
Russia and Qatar are negotiating a draft intergovernmental memorandum on cooperation in transport and transit, the Russian Ministry of Transport has stated. It is another example of Russia’s own version of the Belt & Road Initiative. The two countries have been holding their fifth meeting of the joint Russian-Qatari commission on trade, economic and technical […]
Russia imported 20,000 tonnes of seafood from Iran in 2024, up 25% from the previous year, the Russia Fish Union said, citing the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA). In monetary terms, imports also increased 25%, reaching US$60 million in value. Russia accounted for 10% of Iran’s total seafood exports in volume […]
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The full free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries and Iran will go into effect on May 15, according to Andrei Slepnev, the Eurasian Economic Commission Trade Minister. The EAEU includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. It fills the geographic space between Eastern Europe and Western China. The EAEU said in […]
Russia is considering the establishment of an agro-industrial hub in Qatar and it is ready to increase supplies of halal agricultural products there, according to Denis Manturov, the Russian First Deputy Prime Minister. He was speaking at the fifth meeting of the joint Russian-Qatari commission on trade, economic and technological cooperation in Doha. Manturov said […]
China, Russia and Iran have agreed to boost coordination within the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the three countries’ diplomats said in a statement following a meeting in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear issues. China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu stated that “The parties agreed to support and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms […]
The Russian President Vladimir Putin held discussions with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman Al Saud on Thursday (March 13) following the US bilateral talks with Ukraine which the Prince hosted. In addition to no doubt discussing the content of the talks, the two also discussed collaboration within the OPEC+ platform, which regulates oil […]
Russia’s VTB bank has launched a QR code payment system for purchases in Turkiye, with the system coming operational from March 12. About 7 million Russians visit Turkiye every year, either on holiday or in transit elsewhere. Western sanctions have restricted the use of Russian Mir cards in Turkey – The US Treasury Department’s Office […]
The Joint Maritime Security Belt 2025 exercise involving Russian, Iranian, and Chinese warships has begun from Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. The Russian side is represented by the Rezky and Hero of Russia Aldar Tsydenzhapov corvettes, and the Pechenga tanker of the Pacific Fleet. China had deployed two warships and one logistics […]
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