TEHRAN – In the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2006), some 125 million square meters of ceramic tiles was made in the country, an official at Industries and Mines Ministry noted here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of an international ceramic tiles and chinaware exhibition, Mohammad Mesforush added that Iran stands tenth in the world in terms of ceramic tiles production and 15th in consumption of tiles.

“There are currently 65 ceramic tiles manufacturing plants across the country,” he noted, predicting that annual ceramic tiles production in Iran would soon hit 350 million square meters.

Iran exports 1,000 tons of rice to Comoros

TEHRAN – During the seventh months of the current Iranian year (September 22-October 22, 2006), Iran exported one thousand tons of rice to the African state of Comoros.

Rice exports to Comoros will continue if it complies with its financial pledges. The country’s agriculture minister traveled to Iran last month and signed a cooperation agreement with his Iranian counterpart.

Sturgeon poaching equaled official catch in Mar. 2005-Mar. 2006

TEHRAN – The volume of official sturgeon catch (18 tons) in the last Iranian year equaled the reported volume of poaching in the same period, director of the Iranian Fisheries Organization (IFO) announced.

However, Nezami stated that in other Caspian Sea littoral states sturgeon poaching is 10-15 times more than official catch. “In the past 15 years, sturgeon catch in Iran has been steadily falling,” he said, adding that IFO aims to reverse the trend by equipping the fishing ports with the required equipments.

TDC hotel building project in Saqqez delayed

SANANDAJ, Kordestan Prov. – The Tourism Development Company had pledged to build a hotel in Saqqez, but the project has yet to start in this Iranian northwestern city, ILNA reported.

An announcement by the company had said earlier that it was going to build 100 hotels across the country in a joint venture with a Turkish company. “But it seems that the Turkish company has given up the project and TDC has decided to implement the project all on its own,” East Azarbaijan Hoteliers Society chairman told ILNA on Wednesday.

Pasargad Oil Co. receives Champion of Industry plaque of honor

TEHRAN – The Pasargad Oil Company was honored as a Champion of Industry in the Champions of Industry Festival on Monday.

A group of MPs and several industrial officials were present at the ceremony, which was held in Razi Conference Hall to help improve industrial productivity.

Russian Railways chief travels to Iran to discuss bilateral ties

TEHRAN – The President of the Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin is due in Iran on Saturday to meet with his Iranian counterpart and discuss the possibility of developing mutual ties.

The Russian official, according to IRNA, will also confer with Roads and Transportation Ministry officials and inaugurate a Russian railways industry fair in Tehran. The two sides are to exchange their railways privatization experiences during Yakunin’s visit to Tehran.