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automakers in Iran, have haemorrhaged cash amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, which has seen car sales plummet and belts tightened across the country.
The loans are to be provided through a newly developed financial instrument known as “GAM” by its Iranian acronym, put together to support industry in Iran impacted by the pandemic and US sanctions.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei previously ordered authorities to help the loss-making auto giants increase local auto output by 50%, including by pushing ahead with launching new car models.
Recently released production data shows that IKCO, SAIPA and third largest automaker in Iran Pars Khodro (previously GM Iran) together manufactured and assembled 730,787 cars during the first 10 months of the current Persian calendar year (March 20, 2020 – January 19, 2021).
According to the data, IKCO manufactured 388,094 vehicles, SAIPA 262,038 vehicles and Pars Khodro 80,655.
In the same time, the companies exported 1,300 vehicles to nine countries, including South Africa, Azerbaijan, Spain, UAE and Iraq.
Based on previous data released by the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, 468,699 units (including cars, vans and trucks) were manufactured in Iran during the first half of the current Persian year (March—September).
9.1.3 ​Aviation sector news
Iran bans travellers from 32 countries as death toll surpasses 60,000
Iran has imposed travel bans on passengers from 32 high-risk countries to tackle the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and its various strains, Iran Aviation reported on February 28.
The announcement of the new restrictions came via the Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO) of Iran as part of efforts to quell the spread of the virus, which has seen variants including the so-called “British” highly infectious version spread throughout the country in recent weeks.
A spokesman from the CAO said that countries including UK, Angola, South Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Eswatini, French Guinea, Lesotho, Guyana, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Seychelles, Suriname, Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe were now added to the red list.
All passengers above the age of 8 “including Iranian citizens” coming from abroad must present a valid negative COVID‐19 test certificate at the port of entry, he added.
Earlier on February 27 the head of Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company (IAC) announced a $76mn decline in the country’s aviation industry revenues during 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
According to Siavash Amirmokri, air passenger numbers in Iran decreased by 52% in 2020, the IAC Office of Public Relations reported.
The country’s air traffic also declined by 67% year on year due to the decline in travellers.
The news of the new restrictions comes as the official death toll in Iran has now officially surpassed 60,000.
Outside estimates previously reported last year the death figure was well above 100,000 and Iran's reporting of figures was low for the size of the population.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered the authorities to step up their vigilance to keep the county free from the new strains of the coronavirus.
43​ IRAN Country Report March 2021 www.intellinews.com