Audio By Carbonatix
Swedish truckmaker AB Volvo has stopped assembling trucks in Iran because U.S. sanctions are preventing it from being paid, a spokesman for the company said on Monday.
The sanctions against Iran, reimposed on Aug. 6 by U.S. President Donald Trump after his decision to pull out of a nuclear deal with Tehran, have forced companies across Europe to reconsider their investments there.
Volvo spokesman Fredrik Ivarsson said the trucks group could no longer get paid for any parts it shipped and had therefore decided not to operate in Iran in another blow to the country’s car industry, which unlike the energy and banking sectors, had managed to sign contracts with top European firms.
“With all these sanctions and everything that the United States put (in place) ... the bank system doesn’t work in Iran. We can’t get paid ... So for now we don’t have any business (in Iran),” Ivarsson told Reuters by telephone.
Before the sanctions were reimposed, Volvo had expressed an ambition for Iran to become its main export hub for the Gulf region and North Africa markets.
The European Union has implemented a law to shield its companies, but the sanctions have deterred banks from doing business with Iranian firms as Washington can cut any that facilitate such transactions off from the U.S. financial system.
TRUCK EXIT
Volvo was working with Saipa Diesel, part of Iran’s second-largest automaker SAIPA, which was assembling the Swedish firm’s heavy-duty trucks from kits shipped to Iran.
Ivarsson said Volvo had no active orders in Iran as of Monday.
A commercial department manager at Saipa Diesel confirmed that sanctions had prompted Volvo Trucks to terminate their partnership agreement.
“They have decided that due to the sanction on Iran, from (May) they couldn’t cooperate with us. We had some renovation planned in Iran for a new plant but they refused to work with us,” said the manager, who declined to be identified.
More than 3,500 Volvo trucks had been assembled by Saipa Diesel in the year to May, but none had been assembled in this financial year although the original deal was for at least 5,000 trucks, the manager told Reuters.
Swedish truckmaker Scania, which is owned by Volkswagen, said it had canceled all orders that it could not deliver by mid-August due to sanctions, while French carmaker PSA Group began to suspend its joint venture activities in Iran in June.
Germany’s Daimler has said it is closely monitoring any further developments, while carmaker Volkswagen has rejected a report that suggested it had decided against doing business in Iran.
Latest Stories
-
Confidence high as Vice President visits Black Stars ahead of Panama showdown
21 minutes -
BECE 2026: Five important steps JHS graduates should take before starting SHS
24 minutes -
2026 World Cup: Ghana fails in bid to have Partey’s Canada visa denial overturned
29 minutes -
University of Nottingham cyberattack triggers CSA warning to Ghanaian universities
33 minutes -
Ghana-South Africa Business Chamber condemns xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians
54 minutes -
“US Justice Department hasn’t gotten back to Ghana that it has served Ofori-Atta” – OSP
59 minutes -
Deputy Energy Minister reaffirms Ghana’s commitment to gas-led development at West Africa Gas Summit
1 hour -
Protect Ghanaians in South Africa through diplomacy – Bosome Freho MP to gov’t
1 hour -
About 49,000 Ghanaians still live in South Africa – Bosome Freho MP discloses
1 hour -
Bosome Freho MP urges South Africa to take decisive action against Xenophobic attacks
2 hours -
Mfantsipim SHS final-year student commits suicide
2 hours -
Complete Farmer launches CF Grower and CF Buyer to deepen digital agriculture in Ghana
2 hours -
Nukunu Sports Academy to support young football enthusiast until he turns 14
2 hours -
With green card, Ofori-Atta has far more protection than he had previously – Kpebu
2 hours -
Ghana Gas pays courtesy call on NPA CEO
2 hours