Iran Flat Steel Import Prices Stable, Demand Picks Up

The prices of imported hot-rolled and cold-rolled coils in Iran remained unchanged over the past week.

With the holy month of Ramadan coming to an end, buying activity has resumed, with a number of deals reported as concluded by sources.

Metal Bulletin’s weekly assessment for imported 2-mm HRC in Iran remained stable over the week at $430-445 per ton CFR Iranian ports on Wednesday.

Russia-origin HRC was on offer in Iran at €385-390 ($429-435) per ton FOB Astrakhan, with some bookings heard done within that range after the assessment was filed.

The estimated cost of freight to the northern Iranian port of Anzali would be around $15 per ton.

A large cargo of Kazakhstan-origin material was also heard booked at $420 per ton FOB Aktau, which would be equivalent to around $430 per ton CFR Iran.

Metal Bulletin’s assessment for CRC imports in Iran also remained largely unchanged over the week at $499-510 per ton CFR.

Basic Russian coils were on offer at €445-455 ($496-507) per ton FOB Astrakhan, or $511-522 per ton CFR Iran, according to market sources.

However, customers gave preference to Kazakhstan-origin material due to more attractive conditions.

A large cargo of CRC, of less than 0.5 mm thickness, was booked at $502 per ton FOB Aktau, or $510 per ton CFR Iran.

And a 7,000-ton cargo of Kazakhstan CRC, with thickness less than 1 mm, was purchased at $490-495 per ton fob Aktau.

The estimated cost of freight to Iranian northern port of Anzali is around $8-9 per ton for CRC.