Despite facing significant challenges from illegal sanctions and economic pressures, Iran’s natural endowments and diverse agro-ecological zones offer a foundation for robust agricultural development and food security.

Spanning over 164 million hectares, Iran’s landmass provides an expansive canvas for agriculture. The country’s climatic diversity encompasses nearly all major climate types, enabling the cultivation of a wide range of crops throughout the year.

This diversity allows Iran to produce staple cereals, fruits, nuts, medicinal plants, and animal products adapted to varied environments — from the arid southeast to the lush northern regions bordering the Caspian Sea.

One of the country’s strategic strengths lies in its rainfed agriculture, currently covering approximately 6 million hectares.

However, with advances in water management and the adoption of modern agronomic practices, the potential cultivated area could quadruple, bringing up to 14 million hectares under productive use.

This could substantially boost domestic food production without relying excessively on scarce irrigation resources.

Greenhouse farming represents another promising frontier. Although the total greenhouse area was around 18,000 hectares in recent years, development plans aim to expand this to 64,000 hectares by 2025.

Greenhouses can increase yields significantly while reducing water consumption, making them ideal for a country contending with water scarcity and the need for year-round vegetable production.

Iran’s rich biodiversity offers a unique advantage, with over 8,000 plant species, including more than 2,300 endemic medicinal plants.

The country’s potential to scale up cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants could position it as a major supplier in growing global markets for natural health products, provided investment in extraction technologies and branding is prioritized.

Livestock farming is well supported by vast pasturelands exceeding 80 million hectares. Iran’s traditional pastoral systems, particularly in the Zagros and northeastern regions, support millions of sheep and goats.

Modernizing these systems to enhance productivity and integrating diversified income streams — such as dairy products, wool, leather, and rural tourism — could strengthen rural livelihoods and reduce imports of animal products.

Crop diversification is another strong suit for Iran. The country is the world’s dominant producer of saffron, supplying over 90 percent of global production, yet the value chain remains underdeveloped.

Similar opportunities exist in pistachio and date production, where improved post-harvest processing and export infrastructure could unlock substantial economic benefits.

The date palm sector, with over 250,000 hectares of plantations, has enormous unexploited export potential. With better processing and marketing, these products could yield billions in foreign exchange.

Iran’s aquaculture sector also holds considerable promise. Cage fish farming in the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf waters has the capacity to produce up to a million tonnes annually, complementing traditional fisheries and meeting rising protein demands.

Importantly, emerging crops such as quinoa and sorghum, known for drought and salinity tolerance, have been trialed successfully in arid regions, signaling Iran’s proactive response to climate challenges through crop diversification.

Despite these opportunities, Iran’s agricultural sector suffers from a low level of value addition. Only about 5 percent of production is processed industrially, compared to over 50 percent in countries like the Netherlands.

Investing in agro-processing, cold chains, packaging, and marketing would greatly enhance competitiveness and export potential.

Water scarcity remains a critical constraint, but technological solutions like precision irrigation, IoT-based water management, and solar-powered pumping offer pathways to sustainable water use.

Iran’s unique animal genetic resources and indigenous breeds adapted to specific climates also present opportunities for improving protein production through selective breeding and modern biotechnology, further ensuring food security.

Revitalizing ancient qanat systems with modern support can also provide eco-friendly irrigation options.

Iran’s strategic geographical location further enhances its economic capabilities. Bordering 15 countries, including some heavily reliant on food imports, Iran is uniquely positioned to serve as a regional agricultural hub.

The development of free trade zones and special economic areas focused on agricultural processing and export is part of the broader strategy to capitalize on these geographic advantages.

For Iran to harness its agricultural potential, systemic reforms are essential. Overcoming policy inconsistencies, reducing reliance on external negotiations for sanctions relief, and fostering innovation-driven, data-centric governance are crucial steps. Strategic investments in infrastructure, research, and farmer education will be vital.

If realized, Iran could see its agricultural exports rise to $30 billion annually, with employment in the sector reaching five million and its contribution to GDP exceeding 15 percent.

Such a transformation would diversify the economy, reduce vulnerability to oil price shocks, and position Iran as a food security anchor in a volatile region.

In sum, Iran’s agricultural renaissance depends on a bold shift from waiting for external political changes to embracing a proactive, homegrown development agenda — one that leverages the country’s rich natural resources, biodiversity, and strategic location to build a resilient and prosperous agri-food sector.