Iranian importers who sold American made and assembled vehicles have called on the owners to return the vehicles to the authorities. Iran’s Consumer Protection Law bars companies from importing and selling American-made cars. According to the same law, the companies are obliged to recall the units which have already been sold but not yet have a license plate, Persian Khodro a local automotive website reported. The cars assembled or produced in the US were thrust into the limelight after in a speech last April the Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, “The American people, due to their excessive consumption of such cars, are not willing to purchase them anymore. Bearing this in mind, why should we buy American cars produced by companies on the verge of bankruptcy?” The Leader said managers and officials should resist any covert pressure and prevent the import and sale of American vehicles. Iran’s Ministry of Industries stopped the placing of orders for vehicles made or assembled in the United States on January 1. The country’s traffic police was the first to take action. It refused to give the US vehicles registration plates, effectively rendering the cars non-roadworthy. Cars made or assembled in the US which had made their way to Iran included a range of brands, including Toyota, BMW, Volvo and Honda.
Cars are classified as consumer goods, and imports of all American-made consumer goods is banned due to the nearly four-decade hostility of that country towards Iran. The United States and Iran do not have diplomatic relations. Ties were cut off soon after the revolution in 1979.