Iranian Automaker in Talks with Citroen, Renault, Kia Motors
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian car manufacturing company Saipa is in negotiations with French automakers, Citroen and Renault, as well as South Korea’s Kia Motors Corporation, Saipa’s CEO announced.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Mahdi Jamali pointed to Saipa’s plans for cooperation with the world’s major automakers, saying that the company is in talks with France’s Citroen but not with Peugeot.
He added that Saipa has also entered in negotiations with Kia Motors Corporation headquartered in South Korea.
“In addition to the two companies, we are also in talks with Renault,” he said, adding that Renault is not going to work in joint production with Iran Khodro, Saipa’s rival company in Iran.
Iran’s automotive industry is the second largest industry of the country, after its oil and gas, accounting for 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The industry is expected to grow significantly after Iran and six world powers on July 14, 2015 reached a conclusion over the text of a comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and started implementing the agreement on January 16.
The nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) terminated all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran.
