Daimler

"Has suspended activities in Iran "until further notice according to applicable sanctions"; had not resumed the production or sale of Mercedes cars or trucks in Iran." ("Daimler abandons its Iran plans over US sanctions," CNN, August 7, 2018.)

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Iran nears last steps to finalize deal with Daimler.

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"Daimler Trucks head Wolfgang Bernhard said on Saturday that "there is a huge demand for commercial vehicles in Iran" and that 'we plan to quickly resume our business activities in the market there,' AP reported. He added that the Stuttgart-based company has so far signed letters of intent with local partners Iran Khodro Diesel and Mammut Group to arrange a 'comprehensive re-entry' into the Islamic Republic where Daimler started doing business in the 1950s." (Tasnim News Agency, "Germany's Daimler Says to Resume Truck Business in Iran," 7/3/2016).

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"Daimler on Monday said its trucks division had signed letters of intent with joint venture partners in Iran as part of the German truck maker's re-entry into the Iranian market following the lifting of international sanctions…. Daimler said it would cooperate with Iran Khodro Diesel (IKD) and Iran's Mammut Group, establishing a joint venture for local production of Mercedes-Benz trucks and powertrain components, plus the establishment of a sales company for Mercedes-Benz trucks. Furthermore, there are plans for Daimler to return as a shareholder in the former engine joint venture Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing Co. (IDEM). Daimler Trucks intends to open a representative office in Tehran during the first quarter of 2016, the Stuttgart, Germany-based company said. The first Mercedes-Benz Actros and Axor trucks could be supplied to the country in the form of CKD (completely knocked down) kits - or fully disassembled - before the end of the year, Daimler said.In addition to the plans for Mercedes-Benz trucks, Daimler Trucks also sees great opportunities for its Mitsubishi FUSO brand – especially in the light-duty truck segment. To open up this market, Daimler and Mammut have signed a distribution agreement for the FUSO brand.” (Reuters, “Truck maker Daimler signs agreement to return to Iran,” 1/18/2016).

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"Daimler AG's Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said Wednesday the German auto maker will divest its 30% stake in Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing as part of a wider review of its business relationships with the country. 'In view of the current political situation we have...extensively reassessed this business relationship,' Mr. Zetsche told shareholders at Daimler's annual general meeting." (The Wall Street Journal, "Daimler Downgrades Ties to Iran," 4/14/10)

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"Daimler has maintained a partnership with Iran car maker Iran Khodro since the 1960s, according to a company spokesperson, and it owns a 30 percent stake in an engine manufacturer owned by Iran Khodro. The company still ships cars to Iran, but new German export laws prohibit the sale of large trucks, and the spokesperson said that the sales are a small portion of worldwide revenue. Daimler and its subsidiaries have won contracts to supply cars and trucks to the U.S. government."  The company received $4.2 billion from the US government for their business investments in Iran during 2000-2009.  Their activities in Iran are currently active. (The New York Times, "Profiting from Iran, and the US," 3/6/2010)

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Germany's trade ties to Iran stretch back to the Middle Ages, and many of the companies currently there have been active in Iran for decades. Some 85 German companies have operations in Iran, from chemical maker BASF AG to Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Bayer AG, and others such as Linde AG and Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG are active there, according to the Hamburg-based German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce. More than 7,000 companies conduct business there through local representatives. Germany has become such a big trading partner for Iran because so many of its companies provide the machinery and engineering prowess Iran needs to improve its infrastructure.(The Wall Street Journal, "German Firms Feel Pressure Over Tehran Trade," 10/3/09)

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Several renowned German companies are involved in major Iranian infrastructure projects, especially in the petrochemical sector, like Linde, BASF, Lurgi, Krupp, Siemens, ZF Friedrichshafen, Mercedes, Volkswagen and MAN. (Payvand News, Iranian exports to Germany rose 50% last year, 1/9/08)

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Major Non-Oil Investments [In Iran]: Renault (France) and Mercedes (Germany)- automobile production in Karaj, Iran--valued at $370 million. (Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses, 12/1/07)

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German companies such as Siemens, BASF, Mercedes, and Volkswagen maintain strong business ties with Iran. (The New York Sun, Attack on Iran Said To Be Imminent, 9/28/07)