Iran exports water, electricity engineering services worth over $4.3 bn

Tehran, Nov 10, IRNA – Deputy Energy Minister for International Affairs says Iran is currently exporting $4.358 billion worth of technical and engineering services in the water and electricity field to over 20 world countries. Esmail Mahsouli, speaking at a local session, further remarked that about $2.5 billion worth of projects are under study and in the process of contract signing and over $1.6 billion worth of projects have been completed. He said Iran is implementing technical and engineering projects in the field of water and electricity in Ethiopia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, North Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Oman, Kenya, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iraq and Syria. The official further remarked that 30 Iranian companies are actively present for the implementation of the projects despite financial problems. He said the energy sector stood in the first and second places in 1390 to 1392 (2011-2014) among road, oil and gas, petrochemical, housing and industry sectors in terms of export of technical and engineering services. “Exports of this sector related to Syria, Iraq and Sudan,” he said, adding that implementation of some projects required over $500 million which should be met by the Export Guarantee Fund. He further noted that the Export Guarantee Fund in addition to increasing the amount of capital in funding the projects should make reforms in the field of interest and repayment duration. Mahsouli expressed hope that the problem of payment of export awards will be solved through careful and realistic decision makings and that it should become permanent. The deputy minister pointed to the lack of bank branches in target countries which creates financial problems and said the issue is expected to be solved with the recent proposal forwarded by the Central Bank of Iran. He also pointed to customs problems as well as problems facing exports as the impediments on the way of export of technical and engineering services./end