Iran’s car exports bring in $5.7 mln: IRICA

According to IRICA Spokesman Rouhollah Latifi, over the said period, the Iranian car models have been exported to nine countries from Hong Kong and Taiwan in Southeast Asia to Spain in Europe, Press TV reported.

Latifi said that Saina, a subcompact sedan manufactured by second largest Iranian carmaker Saipa, had accounted for nearly 90 percent of the value of the exports.

Saina is a member of Saipa’s Tiba family of cars which are ultimately based on Kia Pride. The model has become popular in Iran in recent years despite its surging prices.

Latifi said other models produced by Saipa and Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) had also made their way to markets outside the country.

The official said Iraq was the top customer of Iranian cars over the last calendar year with more than $3.1 million worth of imports, followed by Azerbaijan on $1.159 million and Syria on nearly $1 million.

The home-grown car industry in Iran has managed to respond to a growing domestic demand for various models of cars despite a series of problems caused to the imports of special parts because of the American sanctions.

Car output grew in Iran by over 50 percent year on year in July, according to figures released by the government. The IKCO also announced in September that its production had reached over 220,000 cars is the six months ending late September, an increase of 45 percent compared to similar period last year.