Khuzestan Prov Exports Worth $3.2bn Non-oil Goods

Ahvaz, Nov 8, IRNA – Iran has exported non-oil products, worth 3.2 billion dollars, through its southwestern province of Khuzestan since March 21, Mohammad-Hossein Cheraghi, director of Commerce Organization of this Province said Monday. He noted that according to the proposed plan, it is expected that eight billion dollars more of non-oil goods are to be exported to the foreign countries through Khuzestan till the end of the current (Iranian) year (1390 - ending on March 21, 2012). “Iraq has the biggest share of Khuzestan exports and 415 dlrs million of Khuzestan’s non-oil goods have been exported to Iraq since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar (March 21)” the official stated. Cheraghi added that since development of the non-oil exports is essential for the country’s progress and the people's prosperity, Khuzestan authorities plan to facilitate the economic activities, there. “Iran has exported 5.5 dlrs billion of non-oil goods during the last Iranian year,” he said. Iranian non-oil goods mainly comprised of petrochemicals, minerals, metals, agricultural and industrial products, and handicrafts were exported to European and Central Asian countries, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The Iranian economy is the eighteenth largest in the world by purchasing power parity (PPP) and according to Iranian officials it is going to become the 12th largest by the year 2015. The economy of Iran is a mixed and transition one with a large public sector. Iran is one of the few major economies that have maintained positive growth in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, despite sanctions imposed by the international community under the pretext of its peaceful nuclear program./end