Questions international buyers ask before their first Iranian import

The MOQ for saffron is 1 kg for sample-grade orders, 5 kg for standard export packs, and 20 kg for palletised consolidation. For industrial Sargol buyers running a colour-strength application, the standard export MOQ is 5 kg. Sample orders of 50-100 g ship with the ISO 3632 certificate for your lab verification, and the sample cost is credited against your first production order.

The MOQ for pistachios is 1 metric ton for standard export and 5 metric tons for container consolidation. For Mazafati dates, the MOQ is 2 metric tons (roughly one pallet) for a trial and 12-14 metric tons for a 20ft reefer consolidation. For almonds, the MOQ is 1 metric ton for natural kernels and 500 kg for blanched, sliced or slivered formats. For the saffron nuts gift box programme, the MOQ is 1,000 gift boxes.

Yes. The standard sequence for first-time relationships is sample, lab-verify, contract, ship. We send a 50-100 g saffron sample with the ISO 3632 certificate, a 200-500 g pistachio sample with the HPLC aflatoxin certificate, or a representative carpet photograph set and spec sheet. For food samples, the buyer may independently re-test the sample at a destination laboratory; on sample approval, the buyer and Palude sign a fixed-price proforma and the production order ships against the proforma spec.

Iranian banks are not directly connected to the European or US clearing systems, so direct EUR or USD payments to an Iranian account are generally not possible. The working channels are: a third-country correspondent bank transfer, a letter of credit issued by the buyer’s bank and confirmed through a third-country correspondent, or an escrow arrangement for established relationships. We confirm the payment channel with your bank before we issue a proforma. Our payment methods guide covers the channels in detail.

T/T (telegraphic transfer) through a third-country correspondent bank is the most common payment channel for Iranian exports and is accepted for established relationships. For first-time relationships and high-value shipments, we recommend a letter of credit to protect both sides. Advance T/T (100% before shipment) is the supplier’s preferred structure but exposes the buyer to non-performance risk, so we do not recommend it for first-time engagements. The default for first-time buyers is the LC or a documentary collection against the shipping documents.

Yes. The letter of credit is the channel we recommend for first-time relationships and high-value shipments. The buyer’s bank issues the LC in favour of Palude, payable against the shipping documents (commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, product-specific certificates). The LC is confirmed through a third-country correspondent bank that adds its confirmation undertaking to pay. The LC’s protection is documentary: we ship against the agreed document set, and the buyer pays against the confirmed shipment.

Lead time varies by product. Saffron: 10-14 business days for stock grades, 18-25 days for bespoke cut and packaging. Pistachios: 12-18 days for stock grades, 25-35 days for bespoke kernel sizing. Mazafati dates: 14-21 days for stock dates, longer in the pre-Ramadan window. Persian carpets: 3-6 weeks for a single piece, longer if a Cultural Heritage permit is required. Stone: 18-30 days from slab selection to container loading. Petrochemicals and bitumen: 10-20 days from proforma depending on the refinery’s shipping schedule. The lead time is stated on every proforma.

Every shipment travels with a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin (Iran Chamber of Commerce), and the transport document (bill of lading, airway bill, or CMR). Food products additionally carry a phytosanitary certificate (Iranian Plant Protection Organization) and product-specific lab certificates (ISO 3632 for saffron, HPLC aflatoxin for pistachios). Petrochemicals carry a refinery certificate of analysis and MSDS. Carpets carry a Cultural Heritage export permit where the piece’s age requires it. The full document set is checked at origin before the vessel sails.

We ship from three principal port systems. Bandar Abbas, on the Strait of Hormuz, is the default for Gulf, South Asian, European and East Asian container traffic and handles the majority of reefer and dry-container traffic. Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, serves Iraqi, Kuwaiti and eastern Saudi destinations and handles heavy-cargo stone and bitumen. Anzali, on the Caspian Sea, is the exit port for the overland-and-Caspian route to Russia and the CIS. Our shipping and logistics guide covers the ports, transit times and Incoterms in detail.

We work with the ICC Incoterms 2020 rules. The four terms most often used are FOB (Free On Board, named Iranian port), CFR (Cost and Freight, named destination port), CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight, named destination port), and DAP (Delivered at Place, named destination warehouse). FOB is preferred by buyers with their own freight-forwarding relationships; CIF is preferred by buyers who want a single delivered-to-port price with origin-side marine insurance; DAP is used for the overland Russia route and for buyers who want a single delivered-to-warehouse price.

Quality verification is product-specific. Saffron is verified by an ISO 3632 lab certificate reporting crocin, picrocrocin and safranal absorbance values. Pistachios are verified by an HPLC aflatoxin certificate reporting total and B1 aflatoxin against the EU 10 ppb or Russian 4 ppb limits. Petrochemicals and bitumen are verified by a refinery certificate of analysis reporting the ASTM test values. Persian carpets are verified by knot-density counting, dye analysis, foundation inspection and (for antiques) a written age opinion. Every certificate is batch-specific and travels with the cargo.

Yes. For government-tender and large-volume buyers, a pre-shipment inspection by SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas or Cotecna is often a contract requirement. The PSI verifies quantity, quality, packaging and marking before the container ships, and the PSI certificate is the document the buyer’s tender authority requires for payment release. We facilitate PSI at the Iranian loading port as part of the export workflow, and the PSI cost is a quoted line item rather than a surprise at the invoice stage.

Yes. Mazafati dates and any temperature-sensitive consolidation ship in reefer containers. The reefer set-point depends on the destination transit time: 0 to +5°C for short Gulf and South Asian transits, -5 to 0°C for longer European and East Asian transits. The reefer’s data logger is read at destination and the temperature record is part of the documentation set. Marine cargo insurance for reefer shipments is arranged through a London-market specialist policy that covers temperature-excursion damage, which general cargo insurance does not.

Yes, with set-point and handling constraints. Low-moisture dried fruit can consolidate with Mazafati dates in a reefer set to the date set-point. Almonds and pistachios share a dry-container set-point comfortably. However, dates and pistachios should not share a reefer (the pistachios are over-chilled and at condensation risk), and saffron should never share a container with a refrigerated or odorous cargo (saffron absorbs moisture and odour). The general rule is: refrigerate the cargo that requires refrigeration, and ship the dry cargo dry.

The first step is a written inquiry — through the request-a-quote form, WhatsApp, Telegram, or the contact page — with your product, grade, volume, destination port, Incoterms and any certification requirements. A sourcing advisor responds within one business day with verified supplier options, indicative pricing, and a draft proforma if your spec is standard. From that point, the advisor stays on the file through sample, contract, production supervision, documentation and shipment. There are no brokerage fees on the buyer side.