South Africa and Iran
South Africa and Iran maintain a ministerial-level joint cooperation commission mechanism. The Pretoria session in 2023 is a tangible milestone in their diplomatic dialogue.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
The South African statement confirms that Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made an official visit on 10 August 2023 at Naledi Pandor's invitation.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between South Africa and Iran totalled 11.1 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, meat and edible offal stands out in shipments from South Africa to Iran, at 2.3 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 11.08 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Goods: South Africa to Iran | 5.63 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Goods: Iran to South Africa | 5.46 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: South Africa to Iran | 0.00486 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Export share: Iran to South Africa | ||
| Investment stock: South Africa in Iran | ||
| Investment stock: Iran in South Africa |
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 / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: South Africa to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Iran to South Africa
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Export share: South Africa to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods share: ZAF exports to the partner / exports by the same reporter to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | South Africa | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 427.18 billion USD2025 · World Bank | 362.68 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 6,597.71 USD2025 · World Bank | 3,924.38 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.11 %2025 · World Bank | -2.83 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 3.21 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 42.17 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.4 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · Stats SAurban | |
| Unemployment | 32.39 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 8.3 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -5.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 78.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 37.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.42 %2025 · World Bank | 0.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Population | 64,747,3192025 · World Bank | 92,417,6812025 · WB |
| Area | 1,219,090 km²2023 · World Bank | 1,745,150 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 USDSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 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 personSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)South Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 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 (%)South Africa: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.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.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedSouth Africa: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change from the same month of the previous year · Stats SA · Urban headline CPI, not a geographically comprehensive national index or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionSouth Africa: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 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)South Africa: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.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.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)South Africa: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.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.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate. The annual reference may follow Iran's fiscal calendar.
- Population
- PeopleSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 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 sourceSouth Africa: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Iran: 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.
South Africa to Iran
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Meat and edible offal | 2.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.702 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.179 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.0778 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.028 M USD2025 · Source |
Iran to South Africa
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 3.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.107 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.0398 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.0253 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.00438 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.0000247 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | South Africa to Iran | Iran to South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10.9 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 19.6 | 15.4 | 4.2 |
| 2023 | 18.3 | 16.5 | 1.7 |
| 2024 | 23.3 | 19.6 | 3.7 |
| 2025 | 11.1 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
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 South Africa living in Iran | ||
| Residents from Iran living in South Africa | ||
| Study and training: South Africa in Iran | ||
| Study and training: Iran in South Africa | ||
| Academic stays: South Africa in Iran | ||
| Academic stays: Iran in South Africa | ||
| Travel: South Africa to Iran | ||
| Travel: Iran to South Africa |
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
The South African statement confirms that Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made an official visit on 10 August 2023 at Naledi Pandor's invitation. They co-chaired the fifteenth session of the Joint Commission of Cooperation in Pretoria. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for South Africa is 427.2 billion USD (2025), compared with 362.7 for Iran (2025). The reference populations are 64.75 and 92.42 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of South Africa was 1.18 times that of Iran 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] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The numbering shows the existence of an ongoing bilateral mechanism, but the captured page does not elaborate on sectoral decisions or identify new contracts. The verifiable context of this document is therefore the ministerial meeting and institutional forum; it does not establish that a defence agreement, an energy transfer or an investment of a specified amount was concluded there. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (South Africa and Iran) totalled 11.1 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 5.6 million; those in the opposite direction, 5.5 million. The difference between the two flows was 0.169 million, in favour of South Africa. 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 South Africa to the partner represented 0.00486% 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 10.9 million USD in 2021 and 11.1 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +1.8 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2024, at 23.3 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, meat and edible offal stands out in shipments from South Africa to Iran, at 2.3 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Iran to South Africa, at 3.4 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 — ZAF-IRN
South Africa's Department of International Relations (DIRCO) · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 710; partners 0,784,643,108,174,192,208,364,372,404,422,454,458,620,646,686,706,728,768,860,12,100,788,704
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporters USA, ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
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 USA, ZAF
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.