IRAN CENTRAL IRON ORE COMPANY/شرکت سنگ آهن مرکزی ایران

IRAN CENTRAL IRON ORE COMPANY

Background

The Iran Central Iron Ore Company (ICIOC) is an Iranian iron producer that exports various iron products regionally and to East Asia (in particular significant quantities to China). ICIOC is a subsidiary of the state-owned National Iranian Steel Company (NISCO). In 2009-2010 the ICIOC Company produced 5,310,000 metric tons of iron ore.

The organization, founded on 8 April 1992, is estimated to operate with an annual revenue of $5M-$10M (USD) and has over 5000 employees. The company's managing director is Mohammad Javad Askari and its president of the executive committee is Ehsan Yaghtin.

The ICIOC is the sole owner of the Choghart Mine in Bafq, Yazd, Iran. This mine started operating in 1970 and has an annual capacity of 3.25 million tons. The ICIOC also operates the Se Chahoun mine. The exploitation of this mine began in 2005 and produces roughly 3.5 million tons of iron ore annually. Below is an aerial view of the Choghart Iron Ore mine.

The organization is also responsible for the Se Chahun Pelletizing Plant. The plant started operating in November 2020 after five years of construction by a consortium of Iranian, Chinese and Japanese companies. The plant operates with five million metric tons of annual output of direct iron reduction unit (DRI) pellets. The plant operates using a rotary kiln technology, known as the Alice-Chalmers process.

In 2015, the ICIOC filed a commercial ad hoc arbitration case against the Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation (PSMC) on account of non-payment for goods supplied. A judgement was ruled on 8 December 2017 that the PSMC should pay the ICIOC the sum of $14,264,272.98 in Pakistan Rupees equivalent. The PSMC filed objections (primarily arguing that international sanctions against Iran precluded their ability to make payment) and sought to have the award set aside. On 24 February 2020 the High Court of Sindh at Karachi passed judgement that PSMC's objections were dismissed and that the award was upheld.

In 2022, the Central Iron Ore Development Company was founded as the Financial, Investment, and Development subsidiary of ICIOC. This organization, headquartered in Tehran, has an estimated 11-50 employees according to LinkedIn and its website is: www.ciodc.ir.

As of 2025, the organization are working on the following projects:

• Completion of the implementation and commissioning of a 150 MW power substation.
• Completion of the implementation of the Bafgh city sewage plant.
• A 2 million ton concentrate plant project.
• A 1.7 million ton sponge iron plant project.
• The Yazd city sewage plant project.
• A combined cycle power plant construction project.
• A 35 MW gas power plant construction project.
• A 10 MW solar power plant construction project.

Further Details

• Website: www.icioc.ir (previously www.icioc.com)
• Company Social media: LinkedIn and Instagram (@icioc_news)
• Addresses:
  • Bafq Old Rd, Yazd, 8975136748, Iran
  • Mohammad Dehestani Bafghi Boulevard, Yazd, 8975136748, Iran
  • P.O. Box 1111, Tehran, Iran
• Office contact number: 03524223001-4
• Office fax number: 03524224101
• Aliases: Iran Central Iron Ore, ICIOC
• Registration Number: 49
• National ID: 10840007960
• Notable People:
  • Mohammad Javad Askari (Managing Director)
  • Ehsan Yaghtin (President, Management Committee)
  • Mehdi Fatahi (Technical Office Head)
  • Reza Shadkam (Head of the Technical Office of Pelletizing Plant)
• Global Energy Monitor ID: E100002003875
• SIC codes: 10, 101

Sanctions

The Iran Central Iron Ore Company is sanctioned under the following:

• US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC): E.O. 13871