Iran: Iranian cement production surpassed 49.14Mt in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year which began on 20 March 2012. The figure is 6% higher than in the same period of 2011, according to the IRIB News Agency. Iran also exported over 9.38Mt of cement and clinker over the same period, a 30% increase compared to the same period of 2011.

Some 8.25Mt of cement and 1.14Mt of clinker were exported during the same period. Iraq, central Asian countries, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan were its main customers.

Iran's cement production capacity currently stands at 86Mt/yr, according to the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He said that the country currently produces some 76Mt/yr.

"Six year ago Iran was dependent on importing cement and nobody would believe that one day the country could become an exporter in the field. However, as we see today, Iran has become one of the world's greatest cement producers and exporters," said Ahmadinejad.

In August 2012 Iran's Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari said that the country's cement production capacity would reach 110Mt/yr by 2015.