SAIPA Resumes Ario, Saba Exports to Iraq

SAIPA, Iran’s second largest carmaker, has started shipping cars to Iraq once again after the Iraqi government released the brakes on the import of Iranian cars citing “safety issues”. According to SAIPA News, the company resumed exports to Iraq early October and set a target of shipping 1,500 units to the neighboring country by November 20. Mohsen Javan, a company official, noted that resumption of exports is the result of non-stop efforts that led to the lifting of certain restrictions. The exported cars include a range of SAIPA 131 known as Saba in Iraq and the Chinese-derived Ario model. Javan further said SAIPA predicts exports will increase in the second half of the current Iranian year that began on September 22. Exports to Iraq dropped sharply after the Baghdad government changed the policies for importing semi-knocked down vehicles over the summer. SAIPA exported 135,000 vehicles to Iraq during 2010-15, selling the most number of cars in the Iraqi market.