Speaking on Saturday, Abbaszadeh stated that any project that failed
to commence operations by the end of the Iranian year 1403 (March 2025) must be
reassessed. “Lawmakers have given us until the end of Shahrivar 1404 (September
2025) to determine the fate of these projects,” he said.
According to Abbaszadeh, the NPC has categorized the projects into
three groups:
·
Green projects, which show
significant progress and are to receive continued support.
·
Red projects, considered
speculative or inactive, often aimed at securing land or state incentives
without real investment intentions.
·
Yellow projects, which
require further evaluation before being reclassified.
Currently, out of approximately 110 registered projects, 48 are in the
green category, while 52 have been marked red. Each month, licenses for 4 to 5
red-category projects are revoked during ongoing review committee meetings
involving investors.
Citing examples, Abbaszadeh noted the Apadana Methanol Unit, which has
reached 100% completion with an estimated investment of $300 million, and the
Siraf Methanol Project, which has achieved around 40% progress. However,
projects with less than 10% physical progress are under scrutiny and could face
termination.
He emphasized that gas-based projects are more likely to be suspended
due to anticipated feedstock shortages over the next three to four years. “We
encourage investors in such cases to shift towards downstream projects or
ventures using inter-complex feedstock,” he added.
The initiative is part of NPC’s broader strategy to optimize resource
allocation and ensure efficient development within Iran’s petrochemical sector.