TEHRAN- Car manufacturing in Iran has risen 18 percent during the period since the start of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20) until Tuesday (July 14), compared to the same time span in the past year, the acting minister of industry, mining, and trade announced.

Hossein Modares Khiabani said that Iranian carmakers have manufactured 282,000 vehicles during the mentioned period of this year, while the figure was 238,000 in the same time span of the previous year, IRNA reported.

The official made the remarks during a meeting of the Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry’s Car Committee on Friday evening when some decisions were also made on holding the meetings of the ministry’s desks of the domestic production of car parts.

As previously reported, the carmakers have manufactured 203,146 vehicles during the first quarter of the current year (March 20-June 20).

Of the mentioned figure, 96,490 vehicles were manufactured by Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), 79,520 by SAIPA Group, and 27,136 by Pars Khodro.

Three major Iranian carmakers, namely Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), SAIPA Group, and Pars Khodro, manufactured 863,263 vehicles during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19).

During the previous year, IKCO manufactured 393,812 vehicles, of which 35,953 were produced in the last month Esfand (February 20-March 19).

Production by SAIPA stood at 363,379, of which 23,696 vehicles were manufactured during the last month.

Pars Khodro manufactured 106,072 cars during the past year. Production in Esfand reached 9,300 vehicles.

Iran has been following a program for supporting domestic manufacturing of auto parts since due to the U.S. sanctions the country’s automakers have been facing some problems in supplying their needed parts and equipment.

MA/MA