Abbas Ahmad Akhundi and Herbert Diess on Sunday discussed the prospects of German automaker’s opening branch in Iran; “VW could import to Iran the platform and technical know-how of its popular brand of cars to manufacture in Iranian soil; the company has a tough job facing its European rivals seeking the same capabilities inside Iran,” Mr. Akhundi told the German delegation.
“VW could provide Iran with its demands for passenger bus and omnibuses; the company could establish central representative in Tehran to respond to Iran’s needs to this number of cars. Economic activity in Imam Khomeini (RA) International Airport City Free Zone would benefit the company, since it would be awarded with exemption from taxes specific to free zones,” Akhundi said. “Our current estimation of the number of cars to renew the ground transportation fleet is 100,000 light and heavy vehicles which include 39,000 buses, 38,000 omnibuses, and 23,000 taxis; we also need 65,000 heavy transportation vehicles such as trucks to replace the outdated heavy road transport system.”
“VW’s activity would not be limited to inside Iran; our central hub for the company would be a regional center as well to export its products to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iraq, and Persian Gulf Arab states; we have 4 free zones in borders with Pakistan in southeast, Iraq in the west, Republic of Azerbaijan in the northwest, and Central Asia in northeast where VW could establish its assembly line,” Akhundi lavishly suggested. “The major mode of wider purchase of VW products is to lease. We have leasers which work with banks and could help VW facilitate the purchasing process. German leasers could also provide a second choice for the company.”
Akhundi however said that VW could be a third automaker, since Iran’s native automaking companies cooperated with Japanese, Korean, and especially French Peugeot. Mr. Herbert Diess welcomed Akhundi’s proposal to technology transfer and establishing of its platform and assembly line of light and heavy vehicles; “Imam Khomeini (RA) International Airport City Free Zone is an excellent hub for us to find markets in Iran’s neighboring countries; we welcome working with any state-owned automaker. The technology transfer as full assembly line in Iran is an idea we welcome to accelerate the process of if we hit the necessary agreements in the future,” said the German director.
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