Iran plans to double steel output

Iran plans to double steel output. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the government is planning to increase the country's steel production from 19 million tons to 42 million tons a year. “Iran's steel production capacity is currently 19 million tons [annually], and we have made plans for the figure to reach 42 million tons a year,” President Ahmadinejad told reporters on Monday, IRNA reported. The Iranian chief executive made the announcement during the inauguration ceremony of Ghadir Iranian Iron and Steel Company in the city of Ardakan in Iran's Yazd Province. “There are various steel projects underway in different cities of the country and these projects will gradually ... be inaugurated,” he added. President Ahmadinejad also expressed hope that, by inaugurating the mentioned steel projects, Iran will reach the planned objective. According to the latest report of the World Steel Association, Iran is the second leading steel producer in the Middle East. The World Steel Association's report also shows that Iran's crude steel production increased to 3.38 million tons from January 1 to March 31. Iran's monthly production stood at 1.16 million metric tons in January, 1.05 million metric tons in February, and 1.17 million metric tons in March, the report said.