Azerbaijan, Baku, Jun.22/ Trend R.Zamanov
The latest statistics released by the World Steel Association shows that Iran has produced 6.077 million tons of crude steel in the first five months of 2013.
In May, Iran's crude steel output stood at 1.287 million tons, which is 3.7 per cent more than the same period of previous year, the IRNA News Agency reported.
The country's production growth in May was more than other major producers of the world including India, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Britain, Russia, and Ukraine.
Some 658 million tons of crude steel was produced across the globe in the first five months of the current year.
The figure shows 2.1 per cent increase compared to the same period of previous year.
On June 17 the Mehr News Agency reported that Iran produced 2.6 million tons of crude steel in the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-May 21).
The output rose by one percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
In Ordibehesht (the second month of the Iranian calendar), the output hit 1.32 million tons, up 4.3 percent year on year.
Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Vajihollah Ja'fari said on June 3 that Iran steel ingot production capacity will be raised by 3 to 4 million tons by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2014).
By inauguration of some steel production projects in provinces of Gilan, Yazd, Esfahan, and Fars some 3.5 million tons would be added to the country's total steel ingot production capacity, the IRNA News Agency quoted Ja'fari as saying.
Iran's crude steel production capacity currently stands at 19 million tons. The amount would also reach 22 million tons by the end of current year.
The managing director of Mobarakeh Steel Company said in May that Iran's steel output accounts for 60 per cent of the Middle East's total steel production.
Iran's share of steel imports also equals to 30 to 33 per cent, the IRNA News Agency quoted Mohammad Masoud Samieenejad as saying.
The latest statistics show that Iran is the world's 15th biggest steel producer, he explained.
Iran produced over 17.4 million tons of steel products in the previous calendar year.
Iranian Deputy Industry Minister Vajihollah Jafari said last April that the country's annual crude steel output is projected to reach 55 million tons by 2025.
"The output stood at 12.7 million tons last year," he said.
Iran will become one of the world's main steel exporters by March 2016, Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari said in May 2011.