June 24, The Iran Project � An Iranian deputy industry minister says Iran�s steel exports grew eight percent in the first two months of this year.

Speaking to a reporter on Saturday, Deputy Industry, Mines and Trade Minister in Mines and Mining Industries Jafar Sarghini stated that the volume of Iran�s steel exports surged to more than one million and 300 thousand tons this year.

Last year, Iran�s total crude steel exports reached 5.8 million tons, of which 3 million and 950 thousand tons were crude steel and the rest were steel-related products, Sarghini noted.

Producing 18.5 million tons of crude steel last year, the Islamic Republic of Iran broke record for the first time and showed reaching steel production capacity of 55 million tons a year by 2025 (Iran's 1404 Vision Policy) is not ambitious, he said earlier.

He also stressed that comparing to the last four years, Iran�s crude steel production has increased by more than 28 percent during�President Rouhani's four years in office (2013-2017).

According to a report by the World Steel Association (WSA), Iran is the largest producer of crude steel in the Middle East and Africa and 14th in the world, given the hike in its steel output.

According to the Islamic Republic�s Vision Plan, the country�s total steel production capacity is to hit 55 million tons a year by 2025, with an expected exports figure of 10-15 million tons.