According to Titrsanat, the Purchasing Deputy of Khouzestan Steel warned of escalating challenges in the steel industry, reporting a thirtyfold increase in gas and water prices, and expressing concern over the continued export of concentrate despite the forecast that its resources will be depleted within the next ten years.

Ata Tafazoli, the Purchasing Deputy of Khouzestan Steel Company, outlined the challenges facing the industry during a specialized session held on November 20, 2025, at the Tehran Permanent Fairgrounds, attended by a large number of reporters. In this session, he emphasized—referring to the thirtyfold increase in gas and water prices—that: “Despite the steel industry’s minimal share of the country’s total energy consumption, the government, instead of supporting production, has created difficult conditions for industry operators by imposing astronomical price increases and accelerating tax collection.”

The Purchasing Deputy of Khouzestan Steel, expressing concern over the trend of concentrate exports, warned: “Concentrate exports have increased from 3 million tons in 2024 to 6.6 million tons in 2025, while expert estimates indicate that the country’s concentrate reserves will be sufficient for only the next ten years.”

Tafazoli, criticizing the instability in policymaking, noted that: “Arbitrary decision-making has taken away the possibility of any long-term planning for the industry.”

He concluded by stating that the management of Khouzestan Steel has made every effort to overcome these difficult conditions, expressing hope that: “We hope that with expert decision-making and proper management, we can overcome these challenges.”
This specialized session, which was met with strong interest from journalists and steel industry professionals, paved the way for a deeper examination of the challenges facing this strategic industry.