TEHRAN –Iranian state-run companies have transferred 29.662 trillion rials (about $849.914 million) worth of their shares to the private sector in the past Iranian calendar year of 1394 (which ended on March 19), the Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.

The country transferred 47.738 trillion rials (over $1.367 billion) worth of shares of state-run companies to the private sector in the calendar year of 1393.  

The Iranian government envisioned a large privatization program in the Fifth Five-Year National Development Plan (2010-2015), aiming to privatize about 20 percent of the state-owned firms each year.  

Under the present interpretation of the Article 44 of Iran's Constitution, hundreds of state-owned companies have been privatized.    

MA