An estimated $1.2 billion worth of mineral products were exported during the first three months of the current Iranian year that started on March 20 -- a 47% rise compared to last year’s corresponding period, deputy head of Iran Trade Promotion Organization, Mohammadreza Modoudi said on Monday. The value of steel sheet exports grew by 57%, crude steel by 233% and copper by a whopping 1,335%, ISNA reported. Modoudi attributed the surge in exports mostly to the lifting of western sanctions in January after Tehran signed a landmark deal with the six world powers (the five UN Security Council members plus Germany) that ends the punitive economic restrictions in exchange for curbs on the nuclear program. Over $7 billion worth of mineral products were exported in the past Iranian year that ended in March while imports stood at $4.44 billion.
