Saffron production in Iran has increased by 20 percent in this crop year compared to the previous year, according to Gholamreza Miri, the head of Iran's Union of Sellers and Exporters of saffron. Despite this increase, saffron exports have decreased over the past year. Iran is one of the world's leading saffron producers, with over 90 percent of its production being exported. In September 2022, Iran signed a $300-million deal with Qatar to distribute Iranian saffron in global markets.