"Despite the intensified sanctions during the last two years, the capacity of Iran's steel production has increased 5mln tons and we will be completely self-sufficient in the steel industry in the next three years," Vice-President of Iran's Steel Association Hamidreza Taherizadeh told FNA on Monday.
He further added that the Iranian government and private sectors have managed to boost the country's steel production capacity from 12mln tons to 17mln tons in the last two years.
Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Commerce Mehdi Qazanfari had earlier this year announced that the country intends to become the largest producer of crude steel in the Middle East.
In its latest report, the World Steel Association named Iran the second-largest steel producer in the Middle East after Turkey. Iran's primary steel mills currently are located in the Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces, but the country is working to increase steel hub locations.
Also in June, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran's steel production should reach 48 million tons in the next 4 or 5 years.
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Publish Date: 30 July 2012 - 23:37
Production of steel in Iran has grown 5 million tons in the past two years despite the harsh sanctions imposed by the West against the country, an Iranian official announced .