Turkish e-export businesses, which account for about 12% of their total sales from Gulf nations, are encountering significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict in Iran and broader regional instability. According to official figures, Saudi Arabia accounted for 39 percent of Türkiye’s e-export sales in the region, followed by Iraq with 23.6 percent. Together with the UAE, these three countries represented nearly 85 percent of Türkiye’s total e-commerce exports to the Gulf. However, the outbreak of war has disrupted trade flows, forcing Turkish e-exporters to rethink their strategies. Cenk Çiğdemli, a member of TOBB’s E-commerce Assembly, explained that companies had previously concentrated their campaigns on Gulf markets but are now shifting focus.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 03, 2026 11:23 UTC