4 December 17, 2017 ECONOMIC NEWS Opens Production Free Economic Zone With Iran Line for Two New Cars Opened in Southern Armenia (IKAP), 70% of parts for YEREVAN (Xinhua) - Armenia 2008 will be supplied by Iranian officially has launched a free economic manufacturers. The car’s body zone (FEZ) with Iran in its southernmost will also be produced by an IKCO city of Meghri bordering the Islamic subsidiary. republic, state-run Armenpress reported. The deal requires production of Armenian Prime Minister Karen more than 30,000 units this year Karapetyan attended the opening but only four Peugeot 2008s have ceremony with Minister of Economic been produced so far, with IKCO Development and Investments Suren having to import pre-owned cars for Karayan, with presence of the Iranian delivery from France. ambassador, as well as officials and Since the lifting of sanctions in businessmen from both countries. January 2016, French automakers According to Karayan, the free have piled into Iran’s resurgent economic zone should be developed 130 million U.S. dollar and create 1,500 Armenia has a strong interest in market, helping turn around a period into two phases. new jobs, as well as export goods and the implementation of the landmark of slipping sales which occurred “At the first stage, the minimum services up to 250 million U.S. dollar. agreement with Iran with the outlook TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Iran Khodro produced about 15,000- when they left the country in 2012. necessary infrastructures and The businesses operating in the zone of new economic opportunities as Khodro (IKCO) has opened a 20,000 units of Peugeot 207i in On Saturday, Fars news agency preconditions have been set up,” will be exempt from income tax, value international sanctions and economic production line for two new car 2011 before production stopped the cited data released by Renault as Karayan said, adding that in the second added tax, excise tax and custom duties, restrictions on Iran are fully lifted. Since models, including one jointly next year when Iran came under showing year-on-year growth of phase 70 hectares of territories would according to the minister. Armenia’s borders with both Turkey produced by France’s Peugeot SPA. intensified Western sanctions. 54% in sales to Iran where the be added to create preconditions for In August, 2017, a memorandum of and Azerbaijan have long been closed The first Peugeot 207 and Dena The model, a supermini produced automaker sold 144,862 cars in the profitable business. cooperation between free economic due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Plus sedans rolled off the production from 2006 to 2014, is based on the year up to November. The minister envisages 50 to 70 zones ‘Meghri’(Armenia) and Iran is one of the only two conduits line near Tehran on Saturday during platform of the predecessor model, Both Renault and Peugeot companies’ involvement in the coming ‘Aras’(Iran) were signed by both for landlocked Armenia to the outside a ceremony attended by Parliament , which was replaced by withdrew from Iran in 2012 when years, which would bring about 100- governments. world. speaker Ali Larijani, Iranian news the in 2012. the country came under the Western agencies reported. PSA has signed production deals sanctions. Dena Plus is an upgraded version worth 700 million euros with Iran, Deputy Minister of Industry, of the Dena sedan which Iran while Renault has announced a Mine and Trade Mohsen Salehinia Chinese Firms Eyeing Investment in Iran Khodro claims offers better safety, new plant investment to increase said last month he was optimistic having two more airbags. its production capacity in Iran to about foreign companies holding ARDEBIL (Dispatches) – Chinese trip to West Azarbaijan province to “Ardebil Province enjoys good Peugeot 207 is the same as 350,000 vehicles a year. their ground in case the Americans companies in a meeting with Iranian become familiar with the capacities capacities in tourism, agriculture, the Peugeot 207i, with a cargo As per the joint venture called the toughened their measures against economic officials expressed readiness of the province, the director general industry and mine fields,” he noted. compartment added to it. Iran Iran Khodro Automobiles Peugeot Iran. on Saturday to invest in Namin Special of Namin Special Economic Zone “Thanks to its access to Caucasus Economic Zone, northwestern Iran. Mohammad Shahbaz Alizadeh told market and also Russia and due to During a meeting which was held on media. Chinese firms’ acquaintance with the sidelines of Iran-China investment “There are many opportunities for Iranian market, the area is capable Boeing Sales to Iran at Risk opportunities exhibition in Tehran, Chinese companies’ cooperation in of providing economic cooperation NEW YORK (Bloomberg) - The transactions would be the first U.S. who asked not to be identified Chinese side called for taking a the area,” he added. grounds with China,” Alizadeh said. Trump administration is considering aircraft exports to Iran since in the discussing internal deliberations, blocking planned sales by Boeing Co., 1970s. said the administration would not Airbus SE and General Electric Co. Trump has long had the Iran nuclear issue export licenses for sales to to Iran, as the president reconsiders deal, signed by his predecessor, Iran unless they are convinced the IME Weekly Trade Tops $316.8mn the 2015 deal to curb the Islamic Barack Obama, in his sights. He aircraft will only be used for civilian TEHRAN (Dispatches) - The Iran of $316.8 million were traded in its tons of base oil and were traded. Republic’s nuclear program, a person refused to certify that Iran was in passenger aviation. Mercantile Exchange (IME) announced domestic and exports halls during the Moreover, on the agricultural familiar with the matter said. compliance with the agreement, a Boeing and Airbus already have on Saturday that around $316.8mn of last week, the trade volume and value trading floor of IME, 85,006 tons No recommendation has yet been move that allows Congress to re- export licenses from the Treasury and various commodities weighting over experienced a growth of 31.68% and of various commodities worth over made to President Donald Trump impose sanctions on the country that Commerce Departments allowing 636,998 tons were traded in its domestic 3.49%, respectively. $20.9 million were traded. On this and his administration is also were relaxed after Obama signed the them to sell plans to Iran Air, the trading and exports halls in the past The report declares that on domestic trading floor, 80,150 tons of wheat, considering letting the sales proceed, deal. country’s national carrier. The first working week (December 09-14). and export oil and petrochemical 4,179 tons of maize, 400 tons of crude the person said. But Congress hasn’t acted on Boeing deliveries are scheduled The IME said that over 636,998 trading floors of IME, 274,414 tons of vegetable oil, 50 tons of sugar as well The decision puts in conflict two of its authority and the U.S. hasn’t for late 2018. Boeing continues to tons of various metal and mineral different commodities with the total as 228,000 day old chicks were traded Trump’s top priorities: confronting withdrawn from the deal it signed discuss the sales with the Trump products, including 110,000 tons of value of $.5 million were traded. by customers. Iran, which he considers a threat with Iran, Germany, the UK, Russia, administration and has said it won’t irons, 162,451 ton of steel products, On this trading floor, more than It is worth noting that during the last to regional stability in the Mideast; China and the EU. go forward with the deal if it’s in 1,270 tons of copper, 140 tons of 96,560 tons of bitumen, 72,231 tons of week of November, the side market and reinvigorating American The Wall Street Journal reported conflict with U.S. foreign policy. molybdenum concentrates, 9 tons of polymer products, 60,060 tons of VB of IME witnessed trading of 900 tons manufacturing. earlier on Friday that the Trump “We continue to follow the lead of precious metal concentrates, 2,020 feed stock as well as 27,000 tons of of palm oil, 95 tonsof steel scrap, 638 Boeing, the top U.S. exporter, has administration was considering the U.S. government on all issues tons of aluminum as well as 10 kg lube-cut oil, 15,834 tons of chemical tons of polyester thread grade A and about $20 billion in jetliner sales blocking the sales. related to Iran,” Boeing spokesman of gold bullion with the total value products, 1,510 tons of sulfur, 1,219 54 tons of polyester thread grade B. to Iran planned. If completed, the A State Department official, Chaz Bickers said. How Long Can Europe Survive Without Russian Gas?

MOSCOW (Dispatches) - If Russian The European Union has been natural gas projects. the £20 billion Yamal LNG project severe wintry weather that has sparked major processing facility in Austria on natural gas exports to Italy stop, the working to unite gas pipelines from “Brussels surely understands that in the Russian Arctic, which Russian flood alerts across the country while Monday have sent the gas prices to their country will have only 15 days before Europe, Asia, and Africa into the replacing the Russian pipeline gas President Vladimir Putin personally forcing schools to close for three days highest levels over the past six years. an emergency situation, according to La Trans-European Networks (TEN) to with American LNG does not increase, opened last week, is already on its way in some parts. The supply issues are also seen at Stampa. What is the scale of European provide safe and secure supplies of gas but reduces the energy security of to the Isle of Grain import terminal in This and the shutdown of the North other major facilities such as the Forties dependence on the Russian gas? Can the to the continent, said Ivan Karyakin, the EU. Most likely, it will not give Kent, the media reported. Sea’s most important oil and gas pipeline in Aberdeenshire and the U.S. replace it? investment analyst at Global FX. up cooperation with Gazprom. But The UK is currently dealing with pipeline system due to an explosion at a Baumgarten facility in Austria. “In Italy, the share of Russian The same strategy is followed by Gazprom will have to suffer, too, gas imports is about 37 percent. In Russia’s Gazprom, which despite being because of the sanctions and the U.S. Germany, it is slightly less, about 28 a traditional supplier of pipeline gas to pressure. The whole struggle is ahead,” 300% Increase in Departure Tax Sparks percent. German companies can really Europe has been developing liquefied Karyakin said. do without Russian gas for a week natural gas (LNG) facilities. According to Pushkarev, developing longer than Italy,” Petr Pushkarev, Europe is divided on the issue. LNG supplies from Qatar and the U.S. Controversy in Iran Chief Analyst at TeleTrade said. Supporters of Russian gas in the EU is important for Europe, but only to have TEHRAN (Dispatches) - The sharp in travel costs for various reasons, Association also said, “The policy The question was first raised in La are Austria, Hungary, Germany, and the alternatives in case of an emergency rise in departure tax, proposed to the including peak travel season, exorbitant will not only fail to achieve its goal, Stampa following the fatal explosion opponents are the countries of Northern like in Austria. parliament in the budget bill for the next visa prices, extra costs inflicted by but would also lead to a downturn in at the Austrian gas facility on Tuesday, Europe, the Baltic States and some “LNG is expensive. It will cost fiscal year (starting March 21, 2018), is in lack of services like direct reservation, tourism.” which severely disrupted gas supplies countries in the south. consumers 50-70 percent more than part aimed at encouraging the public to money transaction hurdles and transit “It will cause challenges for travel in Europe. If Gazprom implements all its pipeline pipeline gas, and it is simply not opt for domestic trips, but travel experts flight, has not dissuaded Iranians from agencies, discourage investors from Other countries in Europe are even projects, then the pipeline gas from required in large volumes in the absence and officials deem it unattainable. traveling to foreign countries. putting their money in tourism and more dependent on Russian gas than Russia will firmly take its place in the of technical problems. Therefore, Speaking Iran’s domestic media, “Contrary to what is aimed, those who eventually cause a recession in the Italy or Germany, and will last even energy system of Europe. Then, it will Washington has zero chance to oust Mohammad Ebrahim Larijani, cannot afford the extra cost will cut industry,” he said. less than Italy’s two weeks, the analyst compete with LNG from the United Russia from the European gas market,” director of the tourism, rail and air down on their domestic trips to save for According to Abazari, the policy might said. States and Qatar, and the Russian gas Pushkarev said. This is why the U.S. is travel company affiliated to the Social outbound travels,” he said. lead to the curtailment of outbound “Dependence of Slovenia, Greece, has more chances to offer better prices,” putting pressure on Europe, he added. Security Organization, said people are Parvaneh Salahshouri, a member of travel and a rush toward domestic and Hungary is at a level of 41 to 45 Karyakin told RT. Meanwhile, facing a “perfect storm” not expected to react in such a way, the parliament’s tourism faction, also destinations, but that would not be percent. Without gas from Russia, they This is why the new package of of energy supply crisis, the UK according to travel psychology. believes that the move will not boost favorable because most travel spots lack will face a strong energy deficit in sanctions against Iran, North Korea, government has been forced to import “People might refrain from traveling domestic tourism. adequate infrastructure to host a huge about 10 days,” Pushkarev said. and Russia include sanctions against gas from Russia, despite London’s role abroad for a short time due to the sudden “Domestic trips are too expensive population. Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland, Russian gas supplies to Europe, the in a series of strict sanctions that were shock or to express protest, but will adapt and many will still prefer to travel According to the economist, the Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia are close to analyst stressed. In this case, Iran and supposed to cripple the Russian energy themselves in less than two months and abroad,” she was quoted as saying by tax increase is probably a method of being almost 100 percent dependent on North Korea are just a there to thwart industry. resume their travels,” he predicted. Chamedanmag.ir. addressing the budget deficit resulted Russian gas, the analyst added. the Russian Nord Stream 2 and other The first natural gas shipment from Experience shows that the hike The head of Travel Agencies Guild from such a policy.