Iran says sponge iron exports surged by 86% y/y in February despite a 10% tariff imposed on shipments.

The highly contagious new coronavirus that has exploded into a global pandemic can remain viable and infectious in droplets in the air for hours and on surfaces up to days, according to a new study.

A report shows that steel exports from Iran surged by nearly a third between March and February 2019.

Stiffer US sanctions imposed on Iran’s steel industry late last year are failing to impact the sector which saw exports of the strategic metal jump 93 percent in January.

Iranian officials oversee signing of major deals for production of 700,000 tons of petcoke each year.

US President Donald Trump has increased trade tariffs on steel and aluminum, claiming the two commodities impact national security.

Iran expects its steel exports to touch 10 million tonnes in the year to March 21, 2020 despite “tyrannical” sanctions imposed on the country, a senior official says.

Iran says total steel exports surged by 23.5 percent year-on-year in November.

Iran’s industrial metals, specifically steel, are the latest target in the Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign, but officials say the sector is unfazed and keeps growing.

Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani says the impact from US sanctions has bottomed out and the Iranian economy is showing signs of turning around.