Speaking at a meeting of the Ministry of Petroleum's Directorate
Council on Saturday, Paknejad received progress assessments from the heads of
the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the National Iranian Gas Company
(NIGC), describing the overall recovery timeline as positive and on track.
"Given the critical importance of these reconstruction projects,
every branch of the petroleum sector must participate with full alignment.
Progress reports must continue to be delivered strictly within formal project
management frameworks to enable accurate monitoring, timely decision-making,
and immediate bottleneck resolution," said Mr. Paknejad.
Leadership Change at the Petroleum Industry Pension Fund
The ministerial council session also featured the formal handover
ceremony for the Board Presidency of the Petroleum Industry Pension Fund.
- Incoming
Board President: Sekhavat Asadi was officially
appointed as the new President of the Pension Fund's Board of Directors.
Paknejad praised Asadi’s deep operational background across the oil
sector, noting his alignment with regulations restricting non-industry
appointments.
- Outgoing
Board President: Hossein Hosseinzadeh was commended
for his tenure, during which social capital and trust among stakeholders
were maintained.
Financial Assets, Capital Preservation, and Welfare Metrics
Addressing the board, incoming president Sekhavat Asadi emphasized
that the fund’s assets serve approximately 110,000 monthly beneficiaries,
stating that capital investment decisions will focus strictly on generating
sustainable revenue streams and securing long-term financial returns.
Outgoing president Hossein Hosseinzadeh highlighted several key
financial and welfare milestones achieved during his term with ministerial
backing:
- Legal
Claims Settlement: Disbursed 67 trillion Tomans (~$1.3
billion) in legal claims to active and retired personnel in the previous
fiscal year—a >60% increase compared to 2024 levels.
- Full
Article 10 Execution: Complete implementation of Article 10
salary scale and benefit adjustments for petroleum sector employees and
retirees.
- Healthcare
Deductibles: Total elimination of the 5% medical care
deductible (Franchise) for fund beneficiaries.