TEHRAN (Iran News) Khurshid Gazdarazi, head of the Bushehr Chamber of Commerce, said the head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization has agreed in principle to designate Bushehr Port as Iran’s main export gateway to Dammam, Saudi Arabia, mirroring the current role of Dayyer Port as the country’s primary export hub to Qatar.

“Bushehr’s proximity to the Persian Gulf states provides a strategic opportunity to expand regional trade,” Gazdarazi told ILNA. “Given that Bushehr ports are the closest Iranian ports to Dammam, we proposed the province be positioned as Iran’s representative in trade with Saudi Arabia—a proposal that received support from national authorities.”

Currently, Iranian goods are exported to Saudi Arabia indirectly through Kuwait. Gazdarazi emphasized the need to enhance port infrastructure to align with the province’s growing commercial potential. “As trade and economic exchanges grow, so must our port facilities. The Ports and Customs Organization must invest in the necessary upgrades to realize this vision.”

Dayyer Port already serves as a transit hub in addition to an export site, but Gazdarazi highlighted the urgent need to upgrade infrastructure in both ports, especially Bushehr. He called for the dredging of Bushehr Port to a depth of 14 meters to accommodate large cargo vessels with capacities exceeding 50,000 tons, which are expected to arrive in the coming months.

With nearly 700 kilometers of coastline, Bushehr Province hosts 10 active commercial ports, including Kangan, Genaveh, Deylam, Kharg, and Asaluyeh. While Dayyer plays a key role in fruit and vegetable exports to Qatar, mineral exports are mainly handled through Bushehr Port.

Addressing Iran’s trade presence in Qatar, Gazdarazi mentioned the Iran Trade Center in Qatar was launched during the current administration. The Iran-Qatar Joint Chamber of Commerce has recommended the center operate under private sector management with government oversight. This approach was welcomed during a recent visit by the head of the Trade Promotion Organization to Bushehr, who agreed that Bushehr Province would represent Iran’s Chamber of Commerce at the center. The center is expected to resume operations later this year.

Commenting on the broader trade landscape, Gazdarazi said any easing of U.S.-Iran tensions could positively impact Iranian trade. “Sanctions have raised the cost and risk of international trade for Iranian exporters. When forced to use third-party countries, not only do costs increase, but risks multiply. Easing these pressures would undoubtedly help expand Iran’s export markets.”

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The population of wintering birds in Bushehr province has increased by five percent compared to last year, IRIB reported.

Gulls, pelicans, geese, crab-eaters, ducks, storks, herons, cranes, and flamingoes are among the migratory birds.

Dayyer Nakhilou, one of the important wetlands in the south of the country, will be registered internationally as the first wetland of Bushehr province.

The wetland is one of the valuable wetlands of the province and the habitat of many kinds of birds as well as mangrove forests, and the breeding ground of endangered sea turtles and humpback dolphins.

Dayyer Nakhilou plays a special role in the lives of residents and the local community, ISNA quoted Farhad Qolinejad, the head of the provincial department of environment, as saying.

Due to the importance of this wetland, necessary steps are being taken to register it in the Ramsar Convention, as the first international wetland of Bushehr province, he added.

The Ramsar Convention uses a broad definition of wetlands. This includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions, have acceded to becoming “Contracting Parties”.

In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value with an area of over 3 million hectares have been identified, of which 25 wetlands are designated as wetlands of international importance (registered in the Ramsar Convention) covering more than 1.4 million hectares and four sites are biosphere reserves.

An official with the Department of Environment has said comprehensive management plans have been prepared for 44 wetlands in the country.

The unique characteristics of wetlands, including groundwater control, climate change adaptation, the livelihood of local communities through fishing, livestock grazing and agriculture, natural water purification, purification and absorption of pollutants, and nature tourism have made sustainable management and protection of wetlands essential for humans, ISNA quoted Jaleh Amini as saying.

Environmental management based on a comprehensive approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and livelihood resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in a balanced manner.

This approach is the primary framework for action under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The indigenous approach puts people and their type of exploitation of natural resources exactly at the center of decision-making.

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Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the southwestern oil-rich Bushehr province on Friday, Oji referred to the abundant gas reserves in Bushehr province and noted that about 50 percent of Iran’s gas reserves and about 10 percent of the country’s oil reserves are in Bushehr province.

“During our visit to Bushehr province, we will discuss the completion of semi-finished oil and gas projects,” he added.

The official noted that a project for studying new methods of increasing the recovery factor of the country’s gas fields will start by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (late March 2022).

According to Oji, a big part of the needed investment for maintaining the production level of the country’s gas fields will be allocated to Bushehr province.

Back in September, Mohammad Meshkinfam, the managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), which is in charge of developing the country’s giant South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, said proper planning must be made in order to maintain the field’s production level in the future.

“So far $80 billion has been invested for the development of the field and from now on we should try and make planning to maintain the production levels,” Meshkinfam said in a meeting with Oji.

He noted that out of a total of 400 wells in the offshore section, 336 wells are active and operational adding: “With the implementation of Corrosion Resistant Alloy (CRA) pipes, other remaining gas wells, whose drilling operations have been completed in the offshore section, will go operational.”

Referring to the operation of all offshore platforms in the South Pars phases, the official said: “Currently, 37 platforms are operational [in this field] and only two platforms of phase 11 have remained. With these two platforms going operational, we will have a total of 39 active platforms in the South Pars gas field.”

Pointing to the field’s average daily production, Meshkinfam put the field’s output at the time at 617 million cubic meters (mcm) and noted that POGC will ensure an average daily output of 700 mcm in the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21).

He further mentioned the phase 11 development project, saying: “Over the past 20 years, nearly $80 billion has been invested in South Pars, as a result of which the offshore section of this field has been completed except for the Phase 11 which will be completed over the next two years.”

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As reported, Raisi was accompanied by ministers of Interior, Transport and Urban Development, Oil, Energy, Agricultural and Finance, and Economic Affairs during his visit to the southern province.

Upon arrival, the president stated that expert studies have been done to determine the problems of the province and to offer solutions for resolving them.

“During this visit, major steps will be taken to solve the problems of Bushehr province,” Raisi said.

Referring to the great capacities of Bushehr province in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, palm trees and oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors, he stressed the need to focus on these sectors in the province and added: “effective steps must be taken in oil, gas and petrochemical sectors to solve the problems of the province.”

“Developing infrastructure including water, electricity, transportation roads and especially connecting the province to the national rail network are also among the measures that will be considered during this trip to take lasting steps to solve the fundamental problems of the people of the province,” Raisi added.

EF/MA

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After approving the establishment of a biotechnology park in Bushehr province as the first biotechnology park in the country, a biotechnology council with the presence of experienced evaluation experts formed, then the necessary call was made on biotechnology companies to invest in this area, he explained.

The biotechnology park is located in Delvar (Tangestan city) stretching to 70 hectares, which due to its location in the coastal area, has created a unique opportunity for those interested in investing in the field of biotechnology, he said.

Many scientists believe that the sea will become a valuable pharmacy in near future due to its high impact on health, Habibi stated, IRNA reported Tuesday.

If final approval is met in accordance with the required standards, biotechnology companies will soon be established in the biotech park and start operating, he emphasized.

Activities such as the cultivation of micro and macro algae indoors and in greenhouses, cultivation of marine mollusks and crustaceans, production of biofertilizers from algae, production of marine biopolymers as commercially competitive products in the food industry, cosmetics, medicines, industries, recyclable plastics, dentistry, bioadhesives, wound dressings and marine pharmaceutical and food supplement industries are the priorities of Bushehr province’s specialized biotechnology park.

Knowledge-based firms active in biotechnology

Currently, over 7,000 knowledge-based companies are active in the country, manufacturing diverse products to meet the needs of the domestic market while saving large amounts of foreign currency.

Nearly 800 knowledge-based companies in the country are currently operating in the field of biotechnology and supplying their products and services to the domestic market.

Among the companies, a number of them have made significant progress in the field of bioactive technology and have commercialized domestic products.

Earlier in May, the Biotechnology Development Council launched 129 production projects with the aim of saving up to $1.44 billion of foreign currency; the projects include the production of 27 biological medicine, 12 vaccine development, and 90 pharmaceutical raw materials through knowledge-based companies.

Iran ranks 12th in biotechnology 

Iran is ranked 12th in the world and first in West Asia in terms of biotechnology, as 9.5 percent of the income of knowledge-based companies and more than 60 percent of their exports are related to biotechnology.

Foreign exchange savings of $1 billion per year by producing 22 biopharmaceuticals, gaining the first rank in biotechnology products and vaccines in West Asia, and the presence among the top five biotechnology producers in Asia are among the country’s achievements, Mostafa Ghanei, secretary of the biotechnology development office of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, said in October 2020.

So far, 27 biotechnology medicines, 12 vaccine projects, 90 pharmaceutical raw materials, and 55 projects in agriculture and food security have been implemented in order to gain a 3 percent market share and biotechnology assistance to the development of the economy, he explained.

Some 8 major companies are responsible for managing the country’s 117 priority products in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical raw materials, vaccines, probiotics, equipment, and chemical drugs, he emphasized.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – The shutdown of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran is impossible, Tehran continues to cooperate with Moscow on the construction of second and third power units of the plant, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said.

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TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday inaugurated the world’s largest methanol producing plant in the country’s southern province of Bushehr.

In a ceremony held via videoconference on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani ordered the opening of three energy projects in Bushehr and the western provinces of Lorestan.

The projects, completed with an investment of $1.57 billion by the private sector, include Kaveh plant, known as the biggest methanol producing facility in the world, and Kimia Pars petrochemical factory in Bushehr, as well as a plant producing catalysts in Lorestan.

The three projects provide direct employment for 2,110 people.

Speaking during the ceremony, the head of state noted the event as a major step towards the country’s economic development despite sanctions.

“The inauguration of three important national projects worth about $1.6 billion is a valuable step in the development of the country,” Iranian president said.

‘Investing in the petrochemical industry, which returns the finances within three or four years, is among the most important priorities of the county,’ Rouhani said adding that he is delighted to inaugurate a major petrochemical project in Bushehr province.

Three petrochemical industry projects inaugurated by the president on August 7 include Kaveh Methanol company, Middle East Kimia Pars petrochemical complex and Lorestan Catalyst petrochemical complex.

According to Managing Director of National Petrochemical Company of Iran Behzad Mohammadi, in total, 27 petrochemical projects planned to be inaugurated during the next two years, out of which 17 plants will start operations till the end of the current Iranian year (began on March 20, 2020).

President Rouhani also said that Iran has inaugurated four projects so far and will continue to open 13 others till the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2021).

He said it is really pleasing that Iran has been able to open three economically-important projects that will help to the country’s non-oil revenue, self-sufficiency, and employment.

Expressing happiness that these projects have been implemented by the Iranian knowledge-based enterprises, he said, “We are witnessing a big development in petrochemical products, which have doubled.”

He said that 23 years ago, the revenue of the country from petrochemical products was just one billion dollars; before his government, it was $11 billion; and until the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2021), it will double.

He added that the phase is to make $37 billion a year in 2025.

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According To Iran News, The President of ASE Group of Companies of the Russian Federation’s power equipment and service exporter, Atomstroyexport, Alexander Lokshin expressed content about Iran-Russia nuclear cooperation and his company’s capability of accomplishing construction of the first unit of Bushehr power plant on time.

“The first unit of Bushehr power plant has generated above 40 billion kilowatts of electricity, saving 40 million cubic meters of oxigen,” Lokshin said during the ceremony to start laying the concrete foundations of the second unit of Bushehr nuclear power plant on Sunday.

He hoped that the second unit of the plant will be completed for inauguration without facing any specific difficulties and also on time to improve the welfare of the Iranian nation.

Making remarks at the same event, Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced that Iran will produce up to 3,000 megawatts of nuclear-generated electricity by 2027, which will avert emission of 21 million tons of pollutant gases.

The AEOI chief added that Bushehr plant will help the country save $660 million per year.

Describing that each nuclear power plant can stay online for about 60 years and more, Salehi added that each plant costs $5 billion and can return its initial construction costs in six years after becoming opeartional.

The Iranian official also informed that Bushehr plant, which is safe and secure, can provide local residents with 200,000 to 400,000 cubic meters of potable water in future.

As previously reported, the second unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is scheduled to come on stream in 6 years, while the third unit will be finished in 8 years.

The 2nd and 3rd units of the Bushehr plant will increase the share of nuclear power in Iran’s electricity supply to amounts well beyond the current 2.7 percent.

In November 2014, the Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD) and Russia’s Atomstroiexport signed two contracts to work on parts of the 2nd and 3rd units.

A total of $10 billion have been allocated for the construction of the two units.

The capacity of the second phase is expected to stand above 1,000 megawatts (MW). The total capacity of the two units of WWER-1,000 (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) will be 2,100 megawatts.

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He also noted that residents of three villages in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant would be evacuated during the exercise.

The spokesman called on the local residents to ignore rumors and get the latest news of the exercise from the state-run TV.

The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant became officially operational and was connected to Iran’s national grid in September 2011.

In September 2013, Iran took temporary control of its Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Russia has agreed to provide the power plant’s fuel for 10 years, with the supply deal committing Tehran to returning the spent fuel.

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