Iran's agriculture minister says a payment mechanism has been set for 4.5 billion dollars of arrears owed to basic goods importers

Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Iran's minister of agriculture, said on Thursday 30 July 2026 (8 Mordad 1405), on the sidelines of the country's second specialised livestock, poultry and dairy industries exhibition, that a mechanism has been settled for paying the arrears owed to importers of basic goods.

He said that when the fourteenth government took office the overdue debt to basic goods importers stood at about 5.5 billion dollars, of which roughly 1 billion dollars has since been paid, leaving about 4.5 billion dollars, equivalent to around 4 billion euros, outstanding. The minister said his ministry has verified that the goods were received and sold through the Bazargah system, and that a special committee formed under a government bylaw has re-tallied the amounts owed.

He added that at a meeting with the president last week the mechanism for paying these arrears in stages was agreed, and he expressed hope that the Plan and Budget Organisation, in coordination with the Central Bank, would arrange the funds as quickly as possible. According to the minister, returning liquidity to traders is a key factor in easing trade, securing stable supply and regulating the market for agricultural products.