‘No progress’ in financing of Russia-Iran wheat deal

MOSCOW, Sept 09 (Reuters): Plans for a deal under which Russia and Kazakhstan are to supply wheat to Iran have stalled as "no progress" has been made in its financing, the secretary general of the Iran Federation of Food Industry Associations said.

Talks on the deal began six months ago. It would see Russia and Kazakhstan supplying wheat to Iranian flour millers, who in turn would supply flour to Iraq - a market dominated by Turkey.

"The Iranian side had its condition - if you would like to realize such agreement, you need to finance it. There has been no progress in this process so far," Kaveh Zargaran told Reuters on the sidelines of a grains conference in Moscow this week.

Under the deal, Russia would supply around 100,000 tonnes of wheat per month to Iranian private millers, who are not allowed to use domestic wheat for flour exports.