TEHRAN- Iran exported 4.614 million tons of crude steel during the nine-month period ended on December 21, with 80 percent rise from 2.565 million tons in the same period of time in the preceding year, Iranian Steel Producers Association announced.

Also, the country’s crude steel output witnessed a 16-percent growth in the mentioned nine-month period and stood at 16.073 million tons, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Iran’s crude steel output stood at 18.466 million tons in the past Iranian calendar year 1395 (ended on March 20, 2017), showing 11 percent rise from 16.656 million tons in 1394.

The country exported 5.5 million tons of crude steel in the past year, with 27 percent increase from the figure of its preceding year.

According to the latest report released by World Steel Association (WSA), Iran produced 21.7 million tons of steel in 2017, which showed 21.4 percent rise in comparison with 17.8 million tons in 2016.

Among the 66 studied countries by the international association, Iran is named as the 14th producer of steel across the globe, the same report confirmed.

It is predicted that the country will reach the 13th place in 2018 in steel production.

Iranian Steel Producers Association’s Secretary Rasoul Khalifeh-Soltan believes that while the country’s steel industry’s growth has been 5.7 percent on average in the recent years, the figure can reach 10 percent this year, given the promising condition the sector enjoys at present.

And, Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari says over $25.6 billion is needed to reach the country's 55 million-ton steel capacity envisaged in Iran’s 1404 (March 2025-March 2026) Outlook Plan.

MA