Iranian Automaker to Open Factory in Armenia
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian automaker will partner with a private investor in Armenia to establish a car manufacturing facility in the Caucasian country, according to a senior official with Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade (MIMT).
The project to produce an Iranian car model in Armenia has been pursued by the MIMT and Armenia's ministry of economy, Alireza Peymanpak, head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization, said on Saturday.
“An initial agreement has been reached for setting up the production line for an Iranian-made car in Armenia and a feasibility study is being carried out on the basis of this agreement,” Peymanpak was quoted as saying in an MIMT report.
A trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU bloc of regional nations, which includes Armenia, he said, would prevent Armenia from charging import taxes on an Iranian car model that was intended for domestic production in the country.
“(We hope) we could take the maximum benefit of this opportunity and turn Armenia into a hub for manufacturing and exporting of Iranian goods and products,” the official expressed.
The name of the Iranian car model being considered for joint manufacturing in Armenia was not made explicit by the deputy Iranian industries minister.
This occurs at a time when Armenia has already begun receiving finished car exports from Iran's largest automaker, IKCO, with a pilot shipment of 200 sedans delivered to the nation last month.
In September, the IKCO announced that it would offer its Tara and Dena models to Armenian customers. The company said that in order to promote additional products and boost exports, it had opened a dealership and other facilities in Yerevan.