Mohammad Bahrami told NIPNA that petrochemicals play a vital role in
Iran’s economy and foreign currency earnings, stressing that investment in the
sector would help advance value-added production and reduce reliance on crude
exports.
He said Iran’s main advantage in petrochemical development lies in its
access to vast gas reserves. “Most of our natural gas is consumed by power
plants, households, and commercial sectors. By improving energy consumption
patterns and reducing imbalances, we can both expand petrochemical production
and establish new complexes focused on final products, which will also generate
extensive employment,” Bahrami noted.
The lawmaker added that Iran enjoys significant potential for
expanding its petrochemical industry, and that current development plans are
moving toward higher value creation and completion of the downstream chain.
Calling petrochemicals a highly job-generating industry, Bahrami said
investment in the sector “not only prevents the sale of raw oil and gas but
also leads to the establishment of complementary industries.”
He emphasized that achieving sustainable economic growth requires
policies aligned with existing industrial capacities. “To reach this goal,
economic decision-makers must plan fundamental infrastructure development, with
the petrochemical sector serving as one of the main drivers of national
progress,” he said.
Bahrami described the petrochemical industry as one of Iran’s most
important oil-linked sectors, with a substantial share of value-added in the
national economy and a strong presence in the country’s capital market.