A method for producing DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) utilizing a source of make-up reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, without additional treatment in a water gas shifter for changing its composition, in a reduction plant comprising a moving-bed reduction reactor having an upper reduction zone where iron-oxides are reduced and transformed to DRI containing metallic iron by a high-temperature reducing gas, mainly composed of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and a lower discharge zone; a gas-gas heat exchanger for preheating reducing gas without any combustion by exploiting the sensible heat provided from hot spent gas effluent from said reactor; a gas cooling and cleaning station; a gas compressor; a CO 2 separation unit; and a combustion chamber having a combustion zone and a mixing zone; said method being characterized by comprising: withdrawing a stream of hot spent reducing gas from said reduction zone of the reduction reactor, at a temperature between 300°C and 600°C; passing said stream of hot spent reducing gas through the gas-gas heat exchanger where its temperature is reduced to a level from 200°C to 400°C and then through said cooling and cleaning station where its temperature is lowered to a level below 100°C resulting in a cold spent reducing recycle gas stream; mixing said make-up reducing gas stream with at least a portion of said cold spent reducing recycle gas stream; passing said mixed gas through a CO 2 separation unit whereby a CO 2 lean reducing gas stream and a CO 2 laden gas stream are formed; passing said CO 2 lean reducing gas stream through said heat exchanger wherein the sensible heat recovered from said hot spent reducing gas effluent from the reduction reactor is used to raise the temperature of said CO 2 lean reducing gas stream to a level lower than 450°C in a first heating stage without any fuel combustion; raising the temperature of said heated CO 2 lean reducing gas stream in a second heating stage to above 700°C, by combustion in said combustion chamber; feeding the hot reducing gas to the reduction zone of said reactor; and discharging DRI from the lower part of the reduction reactor; the method further comprising partially or totally combusting a first portion of heated CO 2 lean reducing gas stream with a molecular-oxygen-containing gas in said combustion chamber which is provided with suitable burners for carrying out said partial or total combustion, and combining outside and/or inside of the combustion chamber the other second portion of said CO 2 lean gas stream with the hot gas stream effluent from the combustion zone of said combustion chamber in order to increase the temperature of said CO 2 lean gas to a temperature adequate for iron ore reduction in said reduction zone. withdrawing a stream of hot spent reducing gas from said reduction zone of the reduction reactor, at a temperature between 300°C and 600°C; passing said stream of hot spent reducing gas through the gas-gas heat exchanger where its temperature is reduced to a level from 200°C to 400°C and then through said cooling and cleaning station where its temperature is lowered to a level below 100°C resulting in a cold spent reducing recycle gas stream; mixing said make-up reducing gas stream with at least a portion of said cold spent reducing recycle gas stream; passing said mixed gas through a CO 2 separation unit whereby a CO 2 lean reducing gas stream and a CO 2 laden gas stream are formed; passing said CO 2 lean reducing gas stream through said heat exchanger wherein the sensible heat recovered from said hot spent reducing gas effluent from the reduction reactor is used to raise the temperature of said CO 2 lean reducing gas stream to a level lower than 450°C in a first heating stage without any fuel combustion; raising the temperature of said heated CO 2 lean reducing gas stream in a second heating stage to above 700°C, by combustion in said combustion chamber; feeding the hot reducing gas to the reduction zone of said reactor; and discharging DRI from the lower part of the reduction reactor; the method further comprising partially or totally combusting a first portion of heated CO 2 lean reducing gas stream with a molecular-oxygen-containing gas in said combustion chamber which is provided with suitable burners for carrying out said partial or total combustion, and combining outside and/or inside of the combustion chamber the other second portion of said CO 2 lean gas stream with the hot gas stream effluent from the combustion zone of said combustion chamber in order to increase the temperature of said CO 2 lean gas to a temperature adequate for iron ore reduction in said reduction zone.