Over 15 million tons of cement were exported in the last Iranian year (March 2015-16), indicating a 20% decline compared with the preceding year’s corresponding figure, according to Abdolreza Sheikhan, the president of Cement Employers Association. The official cites security concerns in Iraq due to attacks by the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group and the recent hike in import tariffs imposed by the Iraqi government as the main cause of the decline. The neighboring country has traditionally been a major market for Iranian cement. Iran is the biggest producer of cement in the Middle East and ranks fourth in the world.
