IRAN: Sporty new French hatchbacks entering market despite tough sanctions talk

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy talks a tough game when it comes to imposing sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. 

But that hasn't stopped France's second-biggest automaker, PSA Peugeot Citroen, from expanding its presence in the Islamic Republic with the upcoming launch of the Peugeot 207i, an Iranian-made version of the Peugeot 207, which is set to roll out in late March. 

Peugeot 206s, assembled in Iran under a licensing deal, have proved enormously popular in Iran. 

Pierre Foret, a Peugeot representative in Iran, was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse that the launch of the 207i was part of the firm's effort to "develop its market" in the Islamic Republic.

The 207i will be priced at $15,500 to $19,000, an Iranian auto official was quoted as saying by the website of the state-owned Press TV.

Meanwhile, two large German insurance companies, Allianz and Munich Re, have announced plans to pull out of Iran, apparently succumbing to international pressure.

-- Los Angeles Times

Photo: Iran's state-owned car manufacturer Iran Khodro unveils the Peugeot 207i, a locally built version of the French automobile firm's 207 model. Credit: Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty Images

Comments

[Michael T]

I just LOVE how you use your SEO techniques to include "State Owned" in Press TV's anchor text! lol! Everybody is got a beef with Iran and apparently they shouldn't be allowed to make cars either because technically speaking they could use that technology to make nuclear bombs! why those Iranian just make the world a better place and stay backwards like other governments in the middle east. Don't make anything and be an incompetent client state like arab countries in ME. And.. NEVER try to challenge USrael's hegemony in your area and no speak whatsoever of Israel's hundreds of nukes or ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

[Joe]

"Sanction" is a joke in capitalists markets, they'll sell their mothers for a right price, particularly France with their Napoleonic complex!

[Cyrus]

America will see that their so-called "allies" are less and less eager to go along with its stupid ideas as America's economy gets weaker and weaker.

How's that 'embargo' on Cuba going, once Cuba discovered lots of oil ?

Germany wants to lose business with Iran ? Whatever.
China will pick up the slack.
There is a penalty for going along with stupid foreign policy.

China is slowly phasing out its support of the dying American superpower, no longer buying its debt as much.
Good luck with that.

[Matt]

Even if our governments try to make some sense by redirecting the sanctions towards the military guards some morons like u media people seem to love seeing the people of Iran being tortured at any cost. get a life, exporting sport cars would not boost the chances of the Iranian regime for obtaining nuclear bombs.

[Syed Tabrizi]

Who cares if the stupid and irrational 'european companies' pull out of Iran? Who needs their substandard, shoddy products, when so many manufacturers from China, Japan and other countries are only too eager to sell their products in Iran?

These stupid morons are losing only their money, NOT the Iranians'.