January 06, 2016

Iran has an area of 1.6 million. sq. kms. Its population is estimated at some 80 million, 12 million of which live in the capital Tehran. Iran shares borders with Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has coastlines along the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, and the Sea of Oman. Iran is OPEC’s second largest oil producer. It has approximately 9% of world oil reserves (some 94 billion barrels). It has the second largest reserves of natural gas in the world at some 812 trillion cubic feet.

Iran has made the development of non-oil exports a priority. The country has the advantage of a broad domestic industrial base, an educated and motivated workforce and geographical location, which gives it access to an estimated population of some 300 million people in Caspian markets, Persian Gulf states and countries further east.

The Policies of the Country aim at Triggering jump in Non-Oil exports. These include: granting tax exemptions on exporters of goods and services, and refunding customs duties and commercial profits of units producing exportable goods, allowing for a wide range of commodities to be destined for overseas markets.

The government has pledged to prevent any drastic fall in forex rates, provide greater financial assistance to exporters, prepare the conditions for attraction of foreign investments into profitable and productive sectors and get rid of red tape. Measures are also underway to extend insurance coverage to exporters, set up provincial export consultation and advisory centers, support research and development schemes, reform related monetary and financial policies, and relax transit regulations.

Iran also possesses enormous mineral resources, including coal, copper , iron, zinc and gold. This has spawned a number of processing industries, particularly steel. Iran is already the third largest producer of copper in the world.

In summary, diverse climate, abandonment of natural resources, developing trend of the production cycle, skilled workforce, competitive wages, establishment of infrastructural installations, especially for establishing link with neighboring countries, sound regulations for the support of investments, tangible dynamism of downstream industries, giant oil and gas reserves and, above all, economic stability and following a policy of detente are among major advantages of Iranian industry.