Iran steel production experience growth upswing

According to IRNA, about 5.851 million tons of steel products were produced by the by public and private sectors which indicates a growth of 0.2 percent compared to the figure for the same period last year. It added that some 1.15 million tons of crude steel were manufactured during June 21-July 21, up by 2.7 percent compared to the figure for the same duration of the past year. Some 1.909 million tons of steel products were manufactured in the country by the private and state-run factories during the period, indicating a growth of 29.4 percent compared to the same period of the year before, the report said.

In August, minister of industries, mines and trade said Iran produced 80 million tons of steel during 2005-2011 (tenures of the ninth and tenth governments). Mehdi Ghazanfari said Iran produced only 500,000 tons of steel in 1978 and during 1987-2004 the figure amounted to 10 million tons.

This is while, he added, steel production capacity since the beginning of the tenure of the ninth government until 2011 increased by 10 million tons. The minister put the current steel production capacity at 20 million tons. Iran was the second leading steel producer in the Middle East in 2010 after Turkey. Iran's main steel mills are located in Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces.