TEHRAN- Iran produced 12.642 million tons of crude steel in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21- December 21), the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Sunday.

The country’s crude steel output rose 0.07 percent in the nine-month period from 12.633 million tons in the same period of time in the past year. 

According to Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mines and Trade, Iran’s crude steel output is projected to increase to 18 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year (which will end on March 19). The figure is to reach 55 million tons by 2025.     

Iran was the biggest producer of crude steel in the Middle East in 2013. The country’s rank was 14th in the world in 2014, according to the World Steel Association (WSA). 

Iranian Deputy Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Mehdi Karbasian said in last July that the country’s annual crude steel exports is planned to reach four million tons in the current Iranian calendar year.

He put the weight of Iran’s crude steel exports at 2.5 million tons in the past calendar year. 

MA