“After the new US president took office, foreign investors questioned investments,’ Zamaninia said on sidelines of the 13th Iran’s International Petrochemical Industry Conference, adding that the uncertainty would be tentative, while Iran’s talks with foreign companies would go on and even would be accelerated, according to the Ministry website.

He also assured service and good providers that the loans related to the services would be refunded, according to the written contracts, in case of any potential snapback of sanctions.

Pointing to 15 neighboring countries in need of natural gas, Zamaninia added that there were satisfactory capacity for investment and business promotion in Iran, given the country’s gas and oil reserves.

‘Based on previous experience, transferring downstream industries to Iran from the leading countries is such a demanding task, and requires win-win conditions, benefiting both sides”, explained the Deputy Petroleum Minister.

He maintained that inexpensive feed, available infrastructure, human resources and political and law stability were among the factors making Iran attractive to foreign investors.

The Iranian official also declared that creating at least 100,000 direct jobs was a goal of the Ministry to be realized by the end of this year (Persian calendar), and said that the number is not a far-fetching one in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

He also declared that 150,000 indirect jobs also would be created as a result of implementing the industrial plans.

Iran’s 13th International Petrochemical Industry Conference April 22-23, attended by 385 local and 76 foreign companies kicked off on Saturday in IRIB International Conference Hall, Tehran.

Promoting cooperation, foreign and domestic investment, introducing domestic capabilities, new technologies and facilitation in receiving financial loans, and international insurance are declared as the main goals of the conference.

Plewa made the remarks in a Saturday meeting with Head of Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) Eskandar Zand.

Zand also addressed the meeting stressing on taking advantage of the experiences of the EU Agriculture and Rural Development in using modern technologies to improve Iran’s livestock products.

He pointed to presenting short-term trainings to Iranian experts and transferring technology in livestock field and exchanging germ plasm as other topic of cooperation.

An eight-member delegation accompany Jerzy Bogdan Plewa in this trip.

According to the report of Foreign Ministry Media Department, Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and accompanying delegation.

He said Iran-Pakistan relations are much higher than normal diplomatic ties and happily the two countries have very good relations in all fields with each other.

The foreign minister said that Iran is ready to develop its relations in all fields of politics, economic, security and parliament with Pakistan, and said that security of Pakistan is so important for Iran.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq pointed to friendly and brotherly relations between Iran and Pakistan, and said that the two countries have common points of view concerning peace and stability in the region and the necessity to create unity among Islamic world states.

The speaker called on Iran to join Pakistan-China transit corridor.

The two sides also underlined necessity to fight jointly with terrorist and extremist groups.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived in Tehran on Friday morning at invitation of Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

During his 5-day visit to Iran, Sadiq is to meet with other Iranian senior officials within the framework to expand Tehran-Islamabad relations.

A parliamentary delegation is accompanying Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in this visit.

The Vice President of ICCIMA Mohammadreza Ansari said, “Iranian companies were able to gain eye-catching achievements prior to the sanctions. We have about 650 issued warranties, which is a proof of success of Iranian engineers.”

Ansari also said, “What’s more, technology, from oil and petrochemical industry to bridge and road construction, has considerably developed in Iran in the past few years.”

He added, “Generally speaking, our engineering section has set good records in quality, timing, and, costs. We can compete globally especially in the costs and have good chances.”

Referring to China and Turkey as our main rivals, he said, “Luckily, as our engineers have worked with better quality than that of the Chinese and the Turks; we are more likely to succeed and I hope this will happen with more support from the government.”

He added Iran can increase the income earned through exporting engineering services from two to $ 25b in four or five years by activating the dormant capacity in this field.

Minullina made the remarks in a meeting which was held at the end of the two-day trip to Iran.

She was a member of a delegation headed by Tatarestan President Rustam Minnikhanov who recently visited Iran.

During the meeting, she reviewed suggestions, MoUs, agreements and drawing a roadmap to develop ties.

Cooperation capabilities in economic, petrochemical, academic, cultural, historical, and scientific fields as well as tourism and archives were also reviewed, she added.

She also pointed to Moscow Halal Expo, urging Iranian economic and academic officials and Iranian firms to attend the event.

The exhibitors will present halal products and services; the concepts of multibrand stands, sectors and shops; IT projects and state-of-the-art developments; investment and start-up projects.

The objective of the exhibition is to promote the brands of local producers of halal goods and services, to attract funds to domestic halal sector, to increase the share of high-quality and environmentally friendly products in the Russian economy, and to implement the import and export phase-out program.

Closure of certain Iranians’ accounts in Britain is not something new and is mainly rooted in the past, he said, noting, “As far as know, no new problem is there now.”

Closure of certain customers’ bank accounts by UK banks can be linked to financial offensives as well as money laundering, he said, noting that of course, the problem can occur for all other nationalities, he said.

Closure of Iranian nationals’ accounts in the UK banks in the past mainly pertained to the way of transfer or receiving money by them which based on European Union and UK’s regulations were considered illegal, the official said.

Money drafts which are officially deposited in individuals’ accounts in Britain are not illegal from the perspective of British banks and have no problems, but if transfer of money is made in cash or via the exchangers, it will have negative impacts on British banks, which may deal with the owners of such accounts., he said.

Meskarian further noted that blocking certain Iranian nationals’ accounts in times of sanctions are mainly rooted in a series of banking operations at source which did not comply with British banking standards.

However, he said, the issue is not confined to Iran and other countries can encounter such limitations.

Laws pertaining to financial offensives and money laundering are getting further complicated and strict as European banks have been ordered to comply with the regulation No. 4 of money laundering as of June 28, he said.

Based on the British banking regulations, specificity as to the source of
money is important and has nothing to do with nationality, he said.

International Bank Persia was established in March 2002 as the result of merger of Mellat and Tejarat banks in London.

Bank Persia was sanctioned by European Union in July, 2010, leading to cessation of its activities in London.

“Iran intends to launch a large-scale project to construct renewable energy power plants over the sixth Five-Year Development Plan to generate five thousand megawatts of energy in the country,” Chtchian said on Saturday on the sidelines of the ceremony marking the launch of three 7-megawatt solar power plants in Hamedan.

According to the energy minister, prior to the inauguration of the renewable energy power plant in Hamedan, the biggest operating plant of the kind was working with a capacity of just one megawatt.

“But today, two 7-megawatt power plants have been launched in Hamedan and the construction of three more have been started,” Chitchian said.

Speaking in a meeting with Marko Čadež on Friday, Iranian Ambassador Hossein Abdollahi pointed to holding the 15th Joint Economic Commission between the two countries soon, expressing hope for holding a meeting on the sidelines of the event to introduce Iran’s economic attractions and capacities to Serbian business people.

Čadež also expressed Serbia’s readiness to hold the meeting, saying that it is suitable to promote trade cooperation level between the two countries.

“Serbian Chamber is capable of playing a crucial role in establishing relations with Iran since almost all big merchants and businessmen and women of Serbia are members of the Chamber,” he said.

He also called for exchanging trade and economic information and holding joint meetings between Iran’s Chamber and Balkan States’ Chamber in Tehran.

Čadež supported launching direct fights between the two countries and facilitating visa issuance to both countries’ merchants as an important factor in promoting trade volume.

Iranian envoy underscored the suitable context in post-JCPOA era, inviting Serbian investors to participate in Iran’s market.

He also expressed Iran’s readiness to have cooperation with Serbia in transportation, energy, infrastructural installations and agricultural fields.