Omid Shakeri, deputy oil minister and NPC managing director,
said the industry produced more than 75 million tonnes of petrochemical
products in the year to March 2026, against annual installed capacity of more
than 101 million tonnes.
Exports accounted for $12 billion of the sector's product
sales, while domestic sales exceeded $10 billion, Shakeri said at a meeting
with Acting Oil Minister Hamid Bovard and senior NPC executives.
Iran's Seventh Development Plan prioritises expanding the
petrochemical value chain, with a focus on generating greater added value from
hydrocarbon resources, Shakeri said.
Expansion and feedstock security
Shakeri said the petrochemical industry accounted for less
than 10% of Iran's total gas consumption in 2025-26 while generating about $22
billion in added value, highlighting its contribution to the economy.
He said winter feedstock supply constraints underscored the
need for petrochemical companies to invest in upstream oil and gas development
to secure more reliable supplies. The industry is also pursuing projects to
collect associated gas, he added.
Under the Seventh Development Plan, Iran aims to increase
annual installed petrochemical capacity to about 111 million tonnes. Shakeri
said around 15 million tonnes of capacity would be added over the plan's
implementation period.
Employment and social investment
The industry directly employed 148,000 people in 2024 and
supported a further 1.215 million indirect jobs, Shakeri said, citing figures
that counted one link in the value chain.
Petrochemical companies spent nearly 2 trillion rials on
social responsibility programmes in 2024, he said. Under a presidential
directive, the industry's social responsibility funding in the current Iranian
calendar year is to be allocated to expanding electronic education in schools.
Damaged capacity returning to production
Shakeri said the petrochemical industry had managed crisis
conditions during the 12-day and 40-day wars, adding that reconstruction of
damaged facilities was progressing.
About 60% of the production capacity lost because of damage
had returned to operation, he said.
The recovery of damaged facilities, alongside planned
capacity additions and upstream investment, remains important to maintaining
production, securing feedstock and supporting export earnings, according to the
NPC chief.