EghtesadOnline: Head of the Iranian Privatization Organization says government shares in the two main auto companies are held as collateral with banks posing a challenge to their divestment.

EghtesadOnline: Iranian car companies have incurred losses to the tune of 100 trillion rials ($833.2 million) in the first half of the current fiscal year (started March 21), secretary of Iran Vehicle Makers Association says.

EghtesadOnline: As traditional foreign partners of Iranian car companies suspend their operations or leave, the local automotive firms are looking north and seeking partnerships with Russian counterparts.

EghtesadOnline: Major Iranian car companies are grappling with two main problems: lack of auto parts that have caused a sharp decline in production and a failure to clear the piling backlog of car orders they have presold months ago.