Iraq has agreed to increase the volume of cement exports from Iran, a senior trade official has said.

"As of September 1, each (Iranian) company can export 15,000t of cement into the neighbouring country from Shalamcheh, Chazzabeh and Mehran border terminals," Jahanbakhsh Sanjabi Shirazi, the head of Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, told Fars News Agency, as quoted by Zawya news. He noted that the new regulations have been adopted by Iraq's Trade Ministry.

Last week it was reported that Iran exported a total of 5.07Mt of cement and clinker during the first quarter of the Iranian year to its overall export markets.

In the previous Iranian calendar year, which ended on 20 March 2014, exports amounted to 18Mt of cement. Volumes have previously been delivered to some 24 countries including Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, UAE, Georgia, Oman, India and China.