TEHRAN- Iran’s crude steel exports rose 19 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2019) from the same period of time in the previous year, IRNA reported on Saturday.

As reported, 5.209 million tons of steel have been exported from the country in the nine-month period of this year.

In a press conference in last June, Iranian deputy industry, mining and trade minister said the ministry has taken necessary measures to maintain the country’s metal exports despite the 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 the U.S. sanctions,” Jafar Sarqini told the Tehran Times in the press conference.

Also, Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani says 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, according to Rahmani.

Iran’s annual steel production is planned to reach 45 million tons by the Iranian calendar year 1400 (March 2021-March 2022), Sarqini has previously announced.

In mid-June last year, 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 (ends on March 19, 2020).

He put Iran’s crude steel production at 25 million tons in the past year.

MA/MA