TEHRAN - Iran’s major
steel producers exported 2.241 million tons of steel during the four-month
period from March 21 to July 22, IRNA reported.
The country’s steel exports in the mentioned
four months fell 12 percent compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the country’s crude steel production
in the mentioned time span rose by 7.1 percent to exceed 8 million tons.
Iran’s crude steel production stood at 7.518
million tons in the past year’s same time span.
Last month, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries
Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) reported that the exports of
steel products rose 20 percent during the first quarter of current Iranian
calendar year (March 21-June 21) compared to the first quarter of the previous
year.
As reported, the country exported 758,000 tons
of steel products during the three-month period of this year.
IMIDRO also put the export of steel ingots at
1.425 million tons in the first quarter of current year, falling 23 percent
from 1.854 million tons in the same time span of the past year.
In a press conference on June 8, Iranian deputy
industry, mining and trade minister said the ministry has taken necessary
measures to maintain the country’s metal exports despite U.S. sanctions.
“We have established a special working group in
the ministry which is closely assessing the situation and making necessary
arrangements to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions,” Jafar Sarqini told the
Tehran Times in the press conference.
The official noted that it is expected for the
exports from the country’s mining sector to, at least, reach the last year’s
$8.5 billion by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 2020).
Also, during a meeting with the members of Iran
Steel Association on Sunday, Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza
Rahmani said the country has achieved a proper self-reliance in steel industry.
Steel industry is one of the industries in
which some good investment has been made and today it has become a production
advantage, the minister further underscored.
Iran’s annual steel production is planned to
reach 45 million tons by the Iranian calendar year 1400 (March 2021-March
2022), according to Sarqini.
Referring to the sanctions, the official said,
“All those who have imposed sanctions against Iran aim to destroy he country’s
production capabilities; therefore, the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade
prefer that the steel producers focus first on production and in this due
development projects with the physical progress of over 70 percent will also
help achieve this target.”
On June 15, the official had announced that the
country’s annual crude steel production is planned to reach 30 million tons in
the current Iranian calendar year.
He put Iran’s crude steel production at 25
million tons in the past year.
Sarqini had also announced that Iran will
inaugurate steel projects with the capacity of at least 10 million tons during
the current Iranian calendar year.