Ramazanali Sangdovini told NIPNA that the National Petrochemical Company
(NPC) should strengthen its regulatory and governance role, while the industry
adopts coordinated long-term planning to shift from basic products towards
higher-value goods and reduce exports of raw materials.
Petrochemicals are a key driver of Iran’s economy and could provide a
more stable source of foreign-currency earnings amid external pressure and
foreign-exchange constraints, Sangdovini said.
However, expanding nominal production capacity alone is not enough, he
added. Policymakers should also assess how much output generates higher added
value and how effectively petrochemical products feed into domestic downstream
industries.
Completing the value chain would increase export earnings, create
thousands of jobs in downstream sectors and reduce reliance on imports of
various products, Sangdovini said.
He argued that petrochemical development should be measured not only by
production volumes but also by added value, domestic manufacturing content and
the extent to which downstream chains are completed.
Iran has both substantial feedstock resources and significant domestic
and regional markets, he said. Coordinated investment in technology, production
and downstream industries could help transform petrochemicals from a producer
of basic materials into a major pillar of the country’s non-oil economy.