Mehdi Pourghazi, CEO of Niroumand Polymer Pars Engineering and a
prominent figure in Iran’s polymer sector, told NIPNA that efforts are underway
to add Russia and Pakistan to Iran’s key export destinations, though deals are
currently limited to sample dispatches.
Despite Iran’s strong production capacity, Pourghazi said the industry
faces persistent challenges—ranging from energy imbalances and financing
shortages to erratic economic policy and export barriers.
“The market outlook is deeply tied to political decisions,” he said.
“If tensions with the U.S. ease, we could see a drop in currency exchange rates
and an inflow of investment and technology, which Iran urgently needs.”
Pourghazi noted that international exhibitions can offer some relief
for the domestic industry, provided they are well-organized and focused. “This
year’s Expo saw higher foreign attendance—mainly from Pakistan and
Afghanistan—but lacked specialization, especially in B2B sessions,” he said.
“For instance, scheduled meetings with Russian or Pakistani delegates often
failed due to no-shows or unclear participant backgrounds.”
He warned that persistent power outages caused by Iran’s energy supply
imbalance are severely undermining production and damaging Iran’s credibility
with foreign buyers. “It’s hard to explain to export clients why an energy-rich
country faces routine blackouts,” he said.
According to Pourghazi, businesses have already faced weekly
blackouts, with warnings of increased outages in the coming months. “The lack
of planning is more damaging than the outages themselves,” he added.
Pourghazi also criticized what he called populist policymaking and
hollow slogans. “Every year is named after economic goals—‘Production Growth’
last year, ‘Investment for Production’ this year—but these are not backed by
actual support or funding,” he said. “There’s no foreign investment, and
domestic banks aren’t offering sufficient financing.”
He urged professional associations to go beyond hosting conferences
and adopt a more assertive role in advocating for structural reforms. “We need
more than awareness—we need accountability and action,” he said.
In closing, Pourghazi emphasized that sustainable economic recovery
hinges on international engagement. “Conflict and isolation won’t fix our
economy. Dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward.”