Iran says its car output up 1.5 per cent last month

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan.6 /Trend F.Milad‎‏/

Iranian car manufacturers produced 72,845 vehicles in the 9th month of current Iranian Calendar year (November 21 - December 21).

The amount shows 1.5 percent increase compared to its preceding month's figure of 71,732 vehicles, the state IRNA News Agency reported.

On Nov. 27 the ISNA news agency reported that several car companies in Iran have halted their production, while according to ISNA report the auto production has dropped by 66 percent in September compared to last years' figures.

Iranian car manufacturers produced 1.648 million cars in 2011.

Iran's giant car manufacturer Iran Khordro (IKCO) and also Saipa Company faced a sharp decrease in output in first 8 months of current Iranian Calendar year, accordind to reports.

IKCO's total output in the first eight months of current Iranian calendar year, which began March 20, stood at 234,518 (Averagely 29,314 vehicles in month).

The figure shows 45.1 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.

Iran's vehicle manufacturers are faced with both rising production costs and lacking some details as to how to manufacture cars after the giant international auto companies left Iran because of sanctions aimed to curb the country's disputed nuclear programme. These include Italian Fiat, German General Motors and its French partner PSA Peugeot Citroen, South Korean Hyundai and the Japanese Toyota Motor Corporation, etc. Iran's major car producer Iran Khodro which had been a partner of France's Peugeot since 1989, had to close some production units.