A report says that the Islamic Republic of Iran has become the largest producer of crude steel in the Middle East and Africa, given the hike in its steel output. According to the report published by the World Steel Association, Iran produced 3.626 million tons of raw steel in the first quarter of 2012. The report added that the figure indicated a 6.8-percent rise compared to the corresponding period last year. Moreover, Iran's crude steel output hit 1.163 million tons in March 2012, which shows a 7.7-percent hike in comparison with the same period last year. "Iran enjoys the highest production rate of raw steel compared to the main steel producers in the world, including China, India, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Japan, and the UK in the first quarter of 2012," according to the WSA. World's total steel output also reached 376.76 million tons in the first three months of 2011, showing a 1.1-percent rise compared to the same period last year.
