SAEDNEWS: Iran’s imports of vehicles rose significantly in the four months to July 22, according to figures by the country’s customs administration (IRICA).
IRICA chief Foroud Asgari said on Sunday that customs offices in the country had cleared 14,287 brand-new vehicles for entrance into the country in April-July, up 37% compared to the same period last year.
Asgari said vehicle imports had also risen by nearly 50% in value terms year on year in the four months to late July to reach $313 million.
He said between 10,000 and 13,000 more new vehicles are waiting for clearance in the customs offices in the ports of Rajaee and Bahonar in southern Iran.
The official did not give a breakdown of vehicle import figures in April-July, but previous IRICA reports have shown that shipments mostly cover passenger cars, including electric vehicles that enjoy lower tariffs.
IRICA figures showed that no single second-hand vehicle had been registered for imports into Iran in the four months to late July, despite recent laws adopted by the government facilitating such imports.
Iran has a large home-grown car industry, which is capable of responding to a growing domestic demand for various vehicles.
Iranian automotive companies produced 1.335 million vehicles in the calendar year to March 2024, making the country the 16th largest car producer in the world.
However, the government has introduced laws in recent months to ease restrictions on imports in a bid to lower prices and to create more competition in the market.
Reports in local media in recent weeks have suggested that demand for domestic brands has ebbed after two leading car manufacturers in Iran raised their prices.
