Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and New Zealand

Bilateral Linkages

I.R.of Iran with New Zealand links are trade based and in the mid-1980s Iran was a major market for sheepmeat and dairy products. In the year to January 2007 exports were worth NZD 142.3 million (major items were butter and wool), a decline from NZD 122.09milion  the previous year. There are good prospects, however, for diversifying exports to include technology such as airport and railways communications equipment and services. Imports in the year 2007 amounted to NZD 27.33million and consisted principally of oil , carpets, dates and figs.

Established in 1985, a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meets to discuss and advance trade and economic relations. The eighth meeting of the JMC was in Tehran in April 2002, and the New Zealand delegation was led by the Minister for Trade Negotiations, Hon Jim Sutton

Visits

The Minister for Trade Negotiations, Hon Jim Sutton, visited Iran in April 2002 to co-chair the Eighth session of the Joint Ministerial Commission. Hon Philip Burdon, then Trade Negotiations Minister, represented New Zealand at the sixth JMC in Tehran in 1996. The Minister for International Trade, Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith, visited Iran in 1999. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, visited New Zealand in February 2000 and the Minister of Construction Jihad, Mr Saidi Kia, represented Iran at the seventh JMC in Wellington in May 2000.

In August 2001, the MFAT Principal Trade Negotiator visited Tehran to conduct a seminar on the requirements for accession to the WTO.

Agriculture

On 30 September 2001, officials from MAF Food (Animal Products Group) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation on Zoosanitary Procedures with the Iranian Veterinary Organisation (IVO) of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad.
In the light of the BSE and dioxin scares in Europe, Iran has been looking to New Zealand as an alternative source of supply of animal food products, in particular beef. New Zealand currently does not export beef to Iran, although there is considerable interest there in New Zealand as a source. Building on this interest, both countries have been keen to establish an umbrella MoU to provide for certification procedures for a raft of animal products (including beef, fish, dairy, wool) exported from New Zealand to Iran. Discussions have also reviewed existing arrangements for export of lamb from New Zealand.

Once the MOU is implemented, the current consignment based, New Zealand-domiciled, inspections carried out by IVO can be discontinued. But before this can happen, IVO officials will also need to become familiar with, and have confidence in, New Zealand inspection and certification systems. The first steps in this process involve bringing two senior IVO officials to New Zealand (under TASP) to demonstrate the New Zealand system.