Decision on New Auto Import Rules Expected

A new guideline on auto imports has been proposed pending government approval, says the director of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran. Mojtaba Khosrotaj says, “The government will make its decision after finalizing the budget for the next fiscal [starts March 21],” Persian daily Donya-e Eqtesad reported. The government should submit the national budget bill to the parliament this month. As per law, after obtaining import permits for each model from the Ministry of Industries, importers are required to make an online registration with the TPO for every single unit. The TPO stopped issuing online auto import permits more than five months ago, saying that new regulations are in the pipeline.  As a result the imported car market is in chaos and in some cases prices have shot up by up to 280 million rials ($7,000).