Iran sets conditions for resuming Kenyan tea imports
Tehran says outstanding documents linked to a 2025 tea dispute must be submitted before Kenyan tea exports can resume.
KENYA – Iran has set conditions for the resumption of Kenyan tea imports as the two countries seek to expand bilateral trade to an initial target of Kes 65 billion (US$500 million).
Iranian Ambassador to Kenya Ali Gholampour said Tehran had asked Kenya to provide outstanding documents and evidence related to the dispute that led to the suspension of Kenyan tea imports.
Speaking in an interview at the Iranian Embassy in Nairobi in September, Gholampour said Iran had already received some of the requested information, but additional documentation remained outstanding.
“Some information has been provided, but some of the requested documents and evidence have not yet been submitted. We hope these will be provided soon so that the ban can be lifted,” Gholampour said.
The ambassador said the dispute was connected to a corruption case involving an Iranian importer and his Kenyan business partner. He added that judicial proceedings in Iran remained ongoing, with judgments issued against some defendants while other aspects of the case were still under review.
The dispute followed allegations of trade malpractice involving Kenyan tea in August 2025. A Kenyan company was accused of importing lower-grade tea, blending it and re-exporting it to Iran as higher-grade Kenyan tea. The company was subsequently suspended by the Tea Board of Kenya.
Kenya and Iran established a joint technical committee to address the dispute, with its first meeting held in Nairobi on August 13, 2025. The two countries subsequently conducted internal and inter-agency consultations and exchanged documents before holding a second committee meeting in Tehran in November 2025.
Correspondence between the two delegations has continued since then. The original Kenya-Iran framework envisaged a 60-day process to restore confidence, strengthen quality controls and facilitate the resumption of Kenyan tea exports.
The broader trade agreements were signed during former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s 2023 visit to Kenya. Under the agreements, Iran was expected to provide Kenyan exporters with access to transport links to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, as well as markets in Afghanistan and Armenia.
Gholampour said Iran wanted bilateral trade with Kenya to increase from an initial target of $500 million to $1 billion and eventually $2 billion over seven to 10 years.
“Achieving a tenfold increase in trade was one of the objectives of President Raisi’s visit. As a first step, bilateral trade can reach $500 million, followed by $1 billion and eventually $2 billion over seven to 10 years,” he said.
Iran also wants to position itself as a gateway for Kenyan exporters seeking markets in Central Asia, while resolving the tea dispute and creating incentives for businesses in both countries.
Iran was an important destination for Kenyan tea before the suspension. Kenya exported about 13 million kilograms of tea worth Kes 4.26 billion to Iran in 2024, while industry data put the value of 2024 tea exports at about Kes 5.6 billion.
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