Iranian Iron Ore Exports Up 54%

Iranian iron ore exports jumped 54% year on year to 8.46 million tonnes during the first half of the Iranian year, to September 21, despite the Iranian government's policy of restricting raw material exports.

Iranian imports of iron ore pellets fell sharply by 93% year on year to 65,000 tonnes during the first six months of the Iranian year. The Iranian metallurgical industry imported 98,400 tons of coking coal in the same period, down by about 76% on an annual basis.

Coal imports will not rise because the government imposed a 15% import duty to support domestic mines.

At the same time, over the past two years, Iran's iron ore production and exports have fallen sharply, because world prices have fallen sharply.