A senior official with the ministry of industry on Saturday called the Arvand free trade zone in Khuzestan Province a proper venue for export activities, referring to its closeness with big cities like Abadan and Khorramshahr.
Deputy Minister Valiollah Afkhamirad, who is also the head of Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), highlighted distinctive features of the zone in a conference held in Khorramshar’s chamber of commerce on Saturday to uphold successful exporters and entrepreneurs, ILNA reported.
In his address, Afkhamirad said Abadan and Khorramshahr can help develop the economy, citing the sufficient infrastructure, vicinity to the Iraqi border, availability of trained manpower and diverse productions commodities including oil, petrochemical and agricultural as positive points of the region.
Financial Support for Exports
He said $1 billion from the National Development Fund of Iran (NDFI) is set to be allocated to Tose’e Saderat (Export Development) Bank to provide financing for exporters.
Emphasizing the need to promote cordial relationships with different countries through agreements, Afkhami-Rad citied providing opportunities for business relations with Iraq, Kuwait and other neighboring countries as a priority and promised financial assistance to businessmen targeting these countries.
Referring to the problems associated with providing engineering services to neighbor countries, the official said the issues are being examined by the so-called Export Supreme Council and expressed hope that maximum benefits could be attained by providing engineering services to neighbor countries, particularly Iraq.
The deputy minister also asked the local officers to cooperate with traders and businessmen in promoting exports, which he regarded as the “country’s economic stimulus to battle recessions, curb inflation, create jobs and develop science and technology.”
Noting that Iraq’s consular office is located in Ahvaz (Khuzestan province capital), he said a consular office located in the region would be much more appreciated. The Arvand Free Zone is a 155-square-kilometer industrial zone that surrounds Khorramshahr, Abadan, and Minoo Island along the Arvand waterway (known as Shatt al-Arab in Iraq). Ahvaz is not part of the Arvand Free Zone.
The head of Khorramshahr chamber of commerce, industry, mines and agriculture, also acknowledged the need for Iraq consular office in the city. He referred to high export potential from Shalamcheh (a town bordering Iraq), citing cultural, religious and language affinities with Iraq and the short 17-kilometer distance between Iraq’s business center and Shalamcheh border as the blessings of doing business via this border.
