Iran and Egypt
Iran and Egypt maintained diplomatic contacts on reducing regional tensions in June 2026. The ministerial conversation focused on an understanding between Washington and Tehran and pursuit of a lasting agreement.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
Egypt's communication of 19 June 2026 records a call by Badr Abdelatty to Abbas Araghchi about the memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Iran and Egypt totalled 6.7 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from Iran to Egypt, at 0.308 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 6.74 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Iran to Egypt | 2.68 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Egypt to Iran | 4.06 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Iran to Egypt | ||
| Export share: Egypt to Iran | 0.00789 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Investment stock: Iran in Egypt | ||
| Investment stock: Egypt in Iran |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade; reporters CYP, DJI, DOM, DZA, ECU, EGY, ERI, EST, ETH, FJI, FSM, GEO · Goods; full calendar year; reporter EGY. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Iran to Egypt
- 2025 · UN Comtrade; reporters CYP, DJI, DOM, DZA, ECU, EGY, ERI, EST, ETH, FJI, FSM, GEO · Goods; full calendar year; reporter EGY. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Egypt to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade; reporters CYP, DJI, DOM, DZA, ECU, EGY, ERI, EST, ETH, FJI, FSM, GEO · Goods; full calendar year; reporter EGY. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: Egypt to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade; reporters CYP, DJI, DOM, DZA, ECU, EGY, ERI, EST, ETH, FJI, FSM, GEO · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Iran | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 362.68 billion USD2025 · WB | 365.25 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 3,924.38 USD2025 · WB | 3,085.81 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | -2.83 %2025 · WB | 4.39 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 42.17 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 14.07 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 14.5 %Urban headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · CBE / CAPMASUrban coverage; not national CPI | |
| Unemployment | 8.3 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 6.78 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -6.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 37.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 86.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 0.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.82 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 92,417,6812025 · WB | 118,365,9952025 · WB |
| Area | 1,745,150 km²2023 · WB | 1,001,450 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Iran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Iran: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedEgypt: 2026-08 · CAPMAS urban headline CPI; year-on-year change · CBE / CAPMAS · Published: 2026-09-10 · Explicit urban coverage, distinct from other countries' national CPI; core inflation is not used. Official statement verified in the search index; the CBE server blocks direct access. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionIran: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Iran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Egypt: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Iran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Egypt: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPIran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate. The annual reference may follow Iran's fiscal calendar.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Population
- PeopleIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceIran: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Iran to Egypt
Egypt to Iran
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.54 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.141 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.0264 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.00603 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.00585 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Iran to Egypt | Egypt to Iran |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14.8 | 13.6 | 1.1 |
| 2022 | 7.6 | 6 | 1.5 |
| 2023 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 2.1 |
| 2024 | 7.3 | 4.9 | 2.4 |
| 2025 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 4.1 |
Connections between people
Contacts between people and relations between governments are distinct dimensions. Published counts appear in the table with their date and definition; a resident community is not inferred from trade or diplomatic representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Iran living in Egypt | ||
| Residents from Egypt living in Iran | ||
| Study and training: Iran in Egypt | ||
| Study and training: Egypt in Iran | ||
| Academic stays: Iran in Egypt | ||
| Academic stays: Egypt in Iran | ||
| Travel: Iran to Egypt | ||
| Travel: Egypt to Iran |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
Egypt's communication of 19 June 2026 records a call by Badr Abdelatty to Abbas Araghchi about the memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran. Abdelatty welcomed the instrument as an opportunity to reduce tensions and resolve outstanding issues diplomatically. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Iran is 362.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 365.3 for Egypt (2025). The reference populations are 92.42 and 118.37 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Iran was 0.993 times that of Egypt in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
He expressed an expectation that it would lead to a sustainable final agreement addressing the parties' concerns. Araghchi thanked Egypt for high-level contacts during previous months to bring positions closer and overcome negotiating obstacles. The document describes this dialogue and the memorandum but does not itself establish conclusion of the expected final agreement. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Iran and Egypt) totalled 6.7 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 2.7 million; those in the opposite direction, 4.1 million. The difference between the two flows was 1.4 million, in favour of Egypt. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Egypt to the partner represented 0.00789% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 14.8 million USD in 2021 and 6.7 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -54.3 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2021, at 14.8 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from Iran to Egypt, at 0.308 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Egypt to Iran, at 0.54 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — EGY-IRN
Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporters CYP, DJI, DOM, DZA, ECU, EGY, ERI, EST, ETH, FJI, FSM, GEO · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / EGY · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporters EGY · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade; reporters EGY
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.