Nokia to start production in Iran

An Iranian consortium has reached preliminary agreements with mobile phone producer, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) to launch a cellular phone production plant in Iran, early next year (Iranian year begins March 21, 2007).

Three Iranian companies are negotiating with Nokia Co. to launch a cellular phone production plant in Iran, the Persian service of ISNA said. Meanwhile, the companies are in talks with other major cell phone producers on the issue, the report added.

Production of the cell phones will begin with the partial assembly of the imported semi knocked-down (SKD) sets however, at the second stage of the operation, the output will shift to semi knocked-down (CKD) importing.

The consortium will produce four mln cell phones in the next year, noted Hamid-Reza Monji, a member of the board of directors of the consortium.

He also commented on the negotiations carried out between an Iranian company with the South Korean producer, LG and announced that domestic production of LG mobile phones is expected to commence by the end of the year.

Source: Iran Mania

Seems a little odd to me, Iran of all places. Maybe that’s just what American news does to you. They’re practically tell us we’re going to extend the war effort over there within a year.