Deeply conflicting views as to whether or not PSA Peugeot Citroen has halted shipments of vital components to Iranian partner, IKCO, are being set against a widening clamour in the US for General Motors to put pressure on its new French partner to end the relationship with Tehran.
Iran Khodro insisted to just-auto this afternoon (19 June) shipments of parts were continuing into ports in the country, with the French automaker previously saying it had suspended delivery of components for the 206 and 405 models until July to comply with European Union and US sanctions.
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Into the fray has also stepped powerful American lobby, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which has been applying intense pressure on GM and Peugeot with the US manufacturer now holding 7% of its French partner.
Writing two weeks ago in the US, UANI CEO, Mark Wallace, a former US ambassador to the United Nations noted: “We again call on GM and Peugeot to take the responsible action of evaluating Peugeot’s business in Iran and putting a complete and final end to it.”
However, in calls made by just-auto to Tehran today, IKCO insisted ships were docking in Iran, as shown by the production lines continuing to run.
“The evidence shows shipments is continued,” reliable sources in IKCO told just-auto. “There is not any problem in shipments of Peugeot product parts – shipments of Peugeot are continuing here.”
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By GlobalDataHowever, PSA remains adamant it has stopped supplying ICKO in accordance with the strict sanctions regime, adopting a robust position concerning Paris’ position with Tehran, although it left open the possibility business could restart in September.
“We have nothing to add to what we have already said – that is shipments are suspended – there is nothing more to say,” a PSA spokesman told just-auto from Paris. “We have suspended them until September. The suspension remains in place…and when we have more information we will tell you about it.
“I understand there is a very strong lobby in the US on the matter. We have always continued our business in line with the legislation and have always followed international legislation.”
Both the Iranians and French have previously estimated the halt in shipments to be costing in the order of US$10m per month with PSA also putting its involvement with IKCO to be 1.5% of its EUR79bn turnover.
And UANI has also raised the financial temperature by highlighting what Wallace refers to as the “taxpayer-funded US$50bn bailout of GM” in order to attempt to put further pressure on its French partner and noting it was “completely unacceptable” for Detroit to be aligned financially with Peugeot’s activities in Iran.
The entire issue remains in the shadow of the powerful international political storm surrounding Iran and its supposed development of enriched uranium for nuclear weapons – a position Tehran strenuously denies.
Several inconclusive meetings around the Middle East and latterly Moscow featuring the so-called ‘5+1’ group – the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Iran – have so far failed to make real progress on the issue.
