Bowing to growing international pressure over Iran's nuclear development program, Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.TO) said Wednesday that it has suspended car exports to the Middle Eastern nation. "In light of the current situation" exports have been halted, a spokeswoman for the Japanese auto maker said. Toyota shipped about 220 cars to Iran so far this year until the suspension took effect in June.
Considering Toyota's exports to Iran are a drop in the bucket when compared with the 7.38 million vehicles it aims to sell worldwide in the current fiscal year, the move could be seen as an attempt by the world's largest car maker to sidestep tarnishing its image even further in the U.S., which has been putting pressure on Japan to limit its business transactions with Iran.
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