TEHRAN - Iranian Privatization Organization (IPO) transferred 6.704 trillion rials (about $171.897 million) worth of Iranian state-run shares to the private sector during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-November 20), Tasnim News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Iranian state-run companies transferred 29.662 trillion rials (about $760.564 million) worth of their shares to the private sector in the past Iranian calendar year of 1394 (which ended on March 19), Tasnim reported in mid-April.
The country transferred 47.738 trillion rials (about $1.224 billion) worth of shares of state-run companies to the private sector in the calendar year of 1393, reportedly.  
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.
Head of IPO Abdollah Pouri-Hosseini announced on October 15 that 200 state-run companies will be transferred to the private sector by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017).
Since its establishment, i.e., during the past 15 years, IPO has sold shares of 1,111 government companies to the private sector, he added.

MA/MG