Russia suspends certification of Iranian flowers amid origin concerns

Russia’s agricultural watchdog has asked Iran to halt certification of flowers bound for the Russian market, citing suspicions that shipments labeled as Iranian may actually originate from Armenia.

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) said on Friday that imports from Iran in 2026 have sharply increased compared to last year. Officials noted that the flowers’ appearance and packaging closely resemble Armenian products previously restricted from entering Russia.

Rosselkhoznadzor banned imports of cut flowers from Armenia on May 22 due to phytosanitary concerns. The agency said it had warned Iran about the restrictions but received no response.

“To preserve the phytosanitary well-being of Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union member states, and to ensure compliance with existing bans, Rosselkhoznadzor has requested that Iran’s Plant Protection Organization suspend certification of local flower exports until bilateral talks clarify the issue,” the agency said in a statement.