[SMM Steel] Iranian Slab Returns to Export Market as Buyer-Seller Price Gap Persists

Published: Aug 17, 2026 16:39

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[Iran] Last week, Iranian slab returned to the export market, but trading remained cautious due to weak domestic demand and a wide gap between buyer and seller expectations. A major steel mill recently sold 50,000 tonnes of slab through the Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME) at around USD 427/t FOB Imam Khomeini Port, while another mill offered August–September shipment material at USD 430/t FOB Bandar Abbas. However, amid rising geopolitical risks and high freight costs, buyers generally pushed for lower prices to offset logistics expenses. In the flat steel market, prices remained broadly stable, but government price controls and subdued trading activity continued to limit any meaningful recovery, with most market participants maintaining a wait-and-see stance.

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