Iran Redirects Wheat Imports from Russia via Caspian Sea

Russia's wheat exports to Iran are taking an unexpected route due to disruptions in the Black Sea trade. Analysts say that Iran is rerouting its imports of Russian wheat through the Caspian Sea, with shipments from ports like Makhachkala and Astrakhan on the rise this year.

Alexander Sharov, head of RusIranExpo consultancy, estimates that Iran's wheat purchases from Russia have reached 200,000 metric tons in the current marketing season. This comes as Ukraine has been launching drone attacks on Russian ships in the Black Sea, disrupting shipping and causing a decline in trade.

Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, and Iran is one of its biggest buyers. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, adding to the difficulties in shipping grain through the traditional routes. ProZerno consultancy says that as of September 8, Iran bought 913,000 metric tons of grain from Russia, with corn making up about half and barley about a third.

This shift towards the Caspian Sea is expected to continue as long as the disruptions in the Black Sea persist. The trend suggests that Russian wheat exports to Iran will rise further, at least until the situation stabilizes in the region.