Government Airlifts $500,000 Worth of Medicines to Iran... First Case Since Resumption of Humanitarian Trade

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it plans to air transport genetic disease treatments worth about $500,000 to Iran on the 29th, marking the first case of humanitarian goods export to Iran since the resumption on April 6.

The government has been in close consultation with the United States and Iran to facilitate humanitarian trade with Iran using Korean won funds deposited in South Korean commercial banks from the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). As a result, the government resumed humanitarian trade with Iran last September, which had been suspended due to the U.S. sanctions tightening on the CBI.

The genetic disease treatments being transported to Iran on this day represent the first shipment under the resumed humanitarian trade. Furthermore, follow-up exports of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other items worth about $2 million are expected to take place in June.

To expand humanitarian trade with Iran, the government has actively carried out activities such as △holding two briefing sessions for Korean export companies, △consultations with Iran through diplomatic channels including the Embassy of Iran in Korea, △contacting Iranian importers via the Tehran KOTRA trade office, and △connecting export and import companies of both countries at the government level.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Based on the resumption of humanitarian goods exports to Iran, the government will continue consultations with the U.S. and Iran on expanding the trade items, currently focused on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, to include food and agricultural products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.