The decision of the United States to leave the agreement with Iran puts at risk the boom of the Made in Italy food exports to the Islamic Republic. In the first two months of 2018 export sales grew by 27%, after reaching the all-time high in 2017 with a value of more than 30 million euros. This is what emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti on ISTAT data concerning foreign trade, after the decision of the President of the United States Donald Trump to withdraw from the nuclear pact with Iran, that also risks provoking a diplomatic crisis with the European Union.
Iran and Italian food
The end of the sanctions, decided in 2015 by Barack Obama, had a positive effect on Italian exports in iran. In a couple of years there was a record growth of 43%, driven by the growing appeal that Western food styles arouse among Iranian consumers, especially middle class and young people. Moreover, the improvement in the economic situation in Iran had a direct impact on food consumption. Italian olive oil is leading the list of Made in Italy food sales in Iran, weighting 10% on total exports. Other successful Italian products are animal feed, pasta, flour, and cheese.