Tehran warns of reciprocal response after Russia halts Iranian flower imports amid origin concerns

Russia's agricultural watchdog has asked Iran to suspend the certification of flowers destined for the Russian market, citing concerns that some shipments labeled as Iranian may in fact originate from Armenia, prompting Tehran to warn it could respond if the restrictions are found to be politically motivated.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Saturday, Iranian analyst Pouya Hosseini said the restrictions appear to be driven primarily by economic and regulatory considerations rather than political motives.

Hosseini said Russian authorities may suspect that Armenian flowers are being exported to Russia under Iranian documentation to circumvent existing trade restrictions. However, he noted that no evidence has been presented publicly to support those claims.

"Even if such suspicions exist, banning imports from an entire country without substantiating the allegations is not a legally justified approach," Hosseini said, adding that he has not seen evidence supporting the accusations.

Asked whether the measures could be aimed at Armenia rather than Iran, Hosseini said they are more likely related to Russia's efforts to verify the origin of imported goods.

"Russia may be trying to prevent prohibited products from entering its market under the guise of Iranian exports," he said. "At this stage, I do not view it as a political move against Iran."

Hosseini noted that Russia has previously imposed temporary restrictions on certain Iranian agricultural products, including tomatoes, citing sanitary and phytosanitary concerns. Those disputes were ultimately resolved, he said.

While he does not expect the latest restrictions to have a significant impact on broader Russia-Iran relations, Hosseini said Tehran's response could change if political motives are established.

"For now, this appears to be an economic issue," he said. "However, if it is confirmed that the restrictions are politically motivated, Iran will naturally provide an appropriate response."