Iran delegation during the 7th Session of the Kenya-Iran Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) in Nairobi on August 12, 2025. With a population of 85 million and the second-largest economy in the Middle East, Iran is viewed by Kenya as a premium alternative to traditional European markets. While Washington frames its trade preferences as a tool to contain "malign actors," Nairobi views its trade decisions as a matter of economic sovereignty. Iran also has the second largest economy in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia. Iran also has one of the most developed healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors in the Middle East.

Source: Standard Digital January 16, 2026 09:27 UTC