Masoud Mirsalim, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, told the Khabar Fori news site: “Automobile imports are to the benefit of the country from which cars are brought into our country. People die in traffic accidents because of their poor driving, and it has nothing to do with the quality of domestic cars.”

He added: “As for saying that the rate of death in traffic accidents is due to the quality of domestic cars, that is an unprovoked accusation against the automakers.”

Mirsalim continued: “Importing foreign cars means the country does not progress.”