China was the largest market for Iran's iron ore exports, receiving 97 percent of the Iranian output. Most of Iran's iron ore exports were non-concentrated iron ore and its concentrates.

In mid-September, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) announced that Iran’s iron ore production in the first five months of the current Iranian year (started March 21) exceeded 14.1 million tons, showing a 6 percent growth compared with the corresponding period in the last year.

Last year, Iran discovered huge reserves of high-quality Iron ore in the country's Central Lut desert.

Iran ranks third in Asia and 11th in the world in terms of iron reserves.

Iran is among the 15 major mineral-rich countries and exports its industrial and mineral products to 159 countries, including Iraq, China, the United Arab Emirates, India and Afghanistan.