SAIPA (Persian: سایپا‎‎) is an automaker headquartered in Tehran, Iran. The SAIPAC was established in 1965 as with 75% Iranian ownership, to assemble Citroëns under license for the Iranian market and changed its name into SAIPA in 1975 when the Iranian state withdrew from the company. Its products in recent years were mostly under-licensed Korean cars and its own engine and range of cars. The chief executive (president or managing director) of SAIPA is Mehdi Jamali, predecessor of whom was Nematollah Poustindouz. The main subsidiaries of SAIPA Group are Saipa Diesel, Pars Khodro and Zamyad Co. SAIPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Malaysia's Proton to jointly develop a new compact sedan to replace the SAIPA Pride.