Baku, Azerbaijan, May 3
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
Iran's Minister of Industries, Mines, and Trade Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh has prevented importing 200 Chevrolet cars into the country, an informed source in the ministry said.
An order was placed on the ministry's website for importing 200 Chevrolet cars worth at $7million but Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh denied the permission for importing the cars, Mehr news agency reported.
According to the report the car shipment was on its way to Iran when the ministry refused the permission for importing the American cars.
A ship carrying the cars had left a port in South Korea for the Persian Gulf and following the decision by Iranian minister the ship had to return to South Korea, Mehr said.
According to the report the minister made the decision to ban the import of the US cars came under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's advice. Meanwhile, a week ago, Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mahmoud Navabi said that there was no ban against importing the US cars into Iran.
According to the deputy minister, Iran's regulations do not consider cars as consumer goods.
Last year, the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran banned importing over 200 consumer goods made in the US.