Iran Building 1st Cement Factory In Iraq

Tehran, April 21, IRNA – Iran is building the first cement factory with a production capacity of two million tons in the Iraqi province al-Muthanna. Implementation of the project is underway by Azarabadegan-e Khoy Cement Factory with 10 percent physical progress. Four main lines of the factory will be completed by Iranian experts and manpower at the cost of $245m within two years. Iran itself will provide the factory clinker and its products will carry Iran brand. Official with Iran Trade Development Organization in charge of Iraqi commercial affairs, Majid Qorbani-Faraz said that the country's non-oil exports to Iraq in the past Iranian year (ended on March 20, 2013) stood at $6b, showing an increase of 19% compared to the figure of the preceding year. He put the value of Iran engineering and technical services exports to the neighboring state at $1.5b./end