TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday inaugurated six major industrial and mining projects worth 35.77 trillion rials (over $851 million) in four provinces through video conferencing, IRNA reported.

The mentioned projects were inaugurated in Zanjan, Yazd, Hormozgan, and East Azarbaijan provinces in the 78th series of inauguration ceremonies since the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

A steel ingot production unit, a tile and ceramic production plant, a tobacco processing unit, and a sponge iron pelletizing unit were among the inaugurated projects.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior industry officials including Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Alireza Razm Hosseini and some officials from the mentioned provinces.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Rouhani underlined the country’s significant industrial achievements in the previous Iranian calendar year despite the coronavirus pandemic and said: “Last year, we had more than seven percent industrial growth while many countries recorded negative economic growth; the world’s economic growth was -3 percent, while Iran registered a positive economic growth of 3.6 percent.”

Last week, Rouhani had inaugurated 52 development projects worth 620 trillion rials (over $14.7 billion) in Iran’s free trade and special economic zones.

EF/MA