Iranian mining investment chief says steel industry margins fell from 36 percent in 1400 to about 12 percent in 1404

Ardeshir Saadmohammadi, chief executive of the Mines and Metals Development Investment Company, said on the sidelines of a steel and mining think tank seminar that the profit margin of Iran's steel industry has fallen from about 36 percent in the year 1400 to about 12 percent in 1404, with part of the decline caused by higher energy carrier prices. The remarks were published on Saturday 1 August 2026.

He added that if the current trend continues, energy carrier prices in Iran will approach global levels within at most three years, and that under those conditions replacing existing technology would be the only way to preserve profitability and keep the industry attractive to investors.

Saadmohammadi also pointed to international carbon dioxide emission requirements, saying exporters who fail to provide carbon emission certificates will face heavy tariffs and penalties. Referring to the continuing electricity shortage facing the steel industry, he said moving toward new technologies is no longer a choice but a necessity.