Scrap Metal Import Ban Revoked

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration has revoked the ban it had imposed in May on imports of scrap metals from Iraq and Afghanistan at the request of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration announced on Monday that any decision in this regard has to be coordinated with the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics from now on.

According to Ali Aliabadi Farahani, an official with TPO, scrap imports from the two neighboring countries were banned after they were found to be contaminated with nuclear radiations and chemicals, with some consignments containing even unexploded ordnance.

“Scraps [from Iraq and Afghanistan] are mostly from exploded tanks and weapons. Investigations carried out by the Ministry of Health indicated that their import could pose health risks to users,” IRICA told Financial Tribune earlier this month.

According to industry experts, Iranian steel mills’ annual demand for scrap metal stands at 5 million tons, half of which needs to be met through imports.

Scrap currently makes up less than 15% of Iranian mills’ annual feedstock due to the commodity’s scarcity and lack of infrastructure for large-scale imports.