TEHRAN – Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts have signed an agreement aimed at promoting economic empowerment and creating sustainable jobs.

The agreement cooperation was inked on Sunday by the foundation’s  Hossein Dehghan and Minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, IRNA reported.

It outlines joint efforts to identify, support and finance job creation projects worth 35 trillion rials ($35m) through participating banks and other financial resources of the two institutions.

Dehghan said the agreement would help develop branding in the handicrafts sector. He added that the foundation views itself as a partner to the government in developing employment, knowledge-based industries and technology.

“With the growth of this sector, we can take steps toward more support and expand job creation in the field,” Dehghan said at the signing ceremony.

Under the agreement, the two sides will form a joint committee of representatives within one week of signing to begin implementation and coordinate related actions.

Moreover, the agreement is aimed to support 17,500 projects and is expected to create around 26,250 jobs, the report said.

The foundation is tasked with providing a wide range of services, primarily of a social nature, to millions of Iranians. It is important to note that the term “mostazafan” is fundamental in understanding how the world is perceived from an Islamist perspective; the world is seen as a confrontation between the oppressed (mostazafan) and the oppressors (mostakberan).

AM