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

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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.

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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

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