Azerbaijan, Baku, July 15/ Trend, N. Umid/
Iran imports about 7.5 million tons steel worth $4.8 billion annually, Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Amir Amini said, Bahar daily reported.
Iran holds some 2.3 billion tons of proven iron ore reserves Bahar qoeted Amini as saying.
If Iran's 7 steel production projects are not realized during next two years, Iran would face $12 billion in loss annually, Amini said.
Some $1.8 billion is needed for developing and communicating these projects during the next 2.5 years.
Iran's crude steel production capacity will reach 24 million tons by the end of the current calendar year (March 20, 2014), the Mehr News Agency quoted Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Vajihollah Ja'fari as saying on Jun.
"By inauguration of some steel production projects in provinces of Gilan, Yazd, Esfahan, and Fars some 4 million tons would be added to the country's total crude steel production capacity," he explained.
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.
Iran's crude steel output in May stood at 1.287 million tons, which is 3.7 percent more than in the same period of the previous year.
According Custom Administration's latest report, Iran imported about $162 million worth steel and iron ingots in first three months of solar year (March 20-May20). This is a 67.38 percent decrease compared to same period of the last solar year. Iran also imported $127 million worth of iron-steel products during first quarter of this solar year, which constitutes a 46.18 percent decrease compared to the same period in last year.