Exports from Iran have ended and trade flows globally are being impacted by the conflict that began February 28, 2026, spread to other suppliers in the region, and delayed or rerouted shipments of polyethylene through the Strait of Hormuz. Middle East exports of polyethylene in 2025 of 18.7 million tons in 2025 were 43% of total global exports of 43.8 million tons.

The Middle East is the world’s largest exporter of polyethylene, shipping polymer to every world region except North America. (Exports from Iran, which does not report trade statistics, are estimated at 3.5 million tons of the Middle East total, shipped mainly to China and Turkey.) As such, a protracted disruption in the region would have a major impact on global trade flows.

The next largest polyethylene exporting region is North America, with 15.6 million tons in 2025. Because of secure feedstocks and ample supply, the region is poised to fill some of the supply void.

Exports from other exporting regions in 2025: Western Europe, 4.2 million tons; Asia-Pacific, 2.7 million tons; Eastern Europe, 1.5 million tons; Latin America, 0.8 million tons; Africa, 0.3 million tons.

Middle East exports by region in 2025 were:

From international Trader Publications’ World Trade Analyses on all grades of polyethylene, continuously updated based on statistics from all reporting countries.