Iran’s Second Car Giant Starts Exporting to Venezuela

Addressing a ceremony in SAIPA’s headquarters in Tehran, Venezuela’s Transport Minister Ramón Blázquez hailed the launch of exports by SAIPA as a sign of deepening economic cooperation between Iran and Venezuela, said the report. 

He added that some 80,000 orders had been placed in Venezuela for SAIPA cars, a statement that showed customers in the South American country have become interested in the quality and affordability of models manufactured by the Iranian company.

SAIPA sent a shipment of 1,000 cars to Southern Iran for exports to Venezuela.

Footages showed that SAIPA’s first export shipment to Venezuela consisted of Saina and Quik models. The two compact sedans have become increasingly popular in Iran since they were launched five years ago.

Venezuela has also awarded a contract to SAIPA for local manufacturing of its new models. The deal, which was clinched in October would allow SAIPA to assemble its cars in the manufacturing facilities of Venirauto, a Venezuelan automotive company where SAIPA and Iran’s largest carmaker the IKCO own shares.

Iran and Venezuela have been seeking closer economic and energy ties in recent years in a bid to offset the impacts of American sanctions on their economies.

Iranian companies have provided Venezuela with key equipment and technology needed in the country’s oil sector in the past. Iran has also supplied fuel top Venezuela to help the country cope with shortages caused by US sanctions.

Bilateral ties between Iran and Venezuela deepened further in June after a visit to Tehran by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in which the two countries signed dozens of documents to expand their cooperation.

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