TEHRAN- Iran exported 1.675 million tons of crude steel in spring 2017, which corresponds to the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-June 21), a 67 percent rise year on year, according to the Iranian Steel Association.

The association put crude steel exports from the country at 1.016 million tons in the first quarter of the previous year, Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

Iran exported 5.8 million tons of crude steel in the past Iranian calendar year 1395 (ended on March 20), Deputy Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Jafar Sarqini told IRNA in late June and said the figure is planned to hit 8 million tons in the current year and at least 15 million tons by the end of the country’s Outlook Plan for calendar year 1404 (March 2026).

According to a January report published by the World Steel Association (WSA), Iran produced 17.89 million tons of crude steel in 2016, registering an 11 percent growth compared to the figure in 2015.

The country’s crude steel output stood at 18.466 million tons in the past Iranian calendar year 1395, showing 11 percent rise from 16.656 million tons in 1394.

MA/MG