About $700 million worth of paper and cardboards are imported every year due to significantly low domestic production, said the head of Printing and Publishing Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance on Monday. “A large portion of paper currently used for printing books, newspapers and magazines are imported, since most of the domestic factories are out of work and require assistance from the government,” IRNA quoted Mohammad Reza Barazesh as saying. Referring to the expected lifting of western sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear energy program, the official said: “The post-sanctions era will bring about new technologies while money transfer will be less arduous. But at the same time the road will open for even more imports, which is a looming threat to the domestic industry.”
