Iran's cement, tile and ceramic outputs rose by 3.8 percent in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, compared to the year before, IRNA quoted industry ministry official Mohammad Fatemian as saying.

Cement output amounted to 25.655 million tons, he said, adding that tile and ceramic output hit 24.83 million square meters in the 4-month period. The cement output showed 91 percent rise compared to the same period in the previous year, he said.

By reaching the annual output capacity of 115 million tons, Iran will become world's third largest cement producer in the coming years, ISNA reported.

Iran's cement output will reach 75 million tons by the end of current Iranian calendar year.

Iran plans to increase its cement output up to 85 million tons by the end of the next Iranian Calendar year. Iran plans to export 12 million tons of cement in the current calendar year.

Iran's tiles and ceramics output stood at 291.623 million square meters in the previous Iranian calendar year which ended March 20. The amount showed 1.1 per cent increase compared to its preceding year, IRNA reported.

According to the head of the Iranian tile producers and sellers union, Mostafa Goudarzi, Iran exports 80 percent of its domestically-made tiles and ceramics to Iraq.

He referred to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan as other destinations for Iranian-made products. He added that some $270 million worth of tiles were exported two years ago.