“If the required liquidity
was not provided for the seven steel projects, grounds could be prepared
for the presence of the private sector.”
Changes in the top management of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and
Trade in the first step began with the Iranian Mines and Mining
Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) when Dr.
Mahdi Karbasian was appointed Deputy Industry Minister and director of
IMIDRO.
The Iranian Mines and Mining Development and Renovation Organization
is among development organizations which has gone through many changes
in recent years in its top managerial level; changes which have caused
problems in the way of implementation of anticipated plans for the
organization and delayed the projects under implementation.
Now with the coming into power of the new government, this
organization too witnessed some changes. Dr. Karbasian has worked as
Managing Director of the Social Security Organization (SSO) in Akbar
Hashemi Rafsanjani’s government, has been a member in the High Council
of Social Security and First Deputy Economy Minister in the government
of Mohammad Khatami. He has also served as Chairman of Board of
Directors of Retirement and Welfare Funds of the oil industry staff.
Membership in the World Badminton Federation and Chairmanship of the
Federation are among interesting points in the work record of the new
IMIDRO chief. However, no experience is seen in his long work record in
the field of mines so that the new IMIDRO head postponed elaboration on
his new working environment to another time.
When introducing Dr. Karbasian as the new IMIDRO director, the
Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh urged him
to work on elimination of barriers in the way of the private sector in
the mining sector, increase export of cement and implement seven steel
related projects. Some of these projects have not been finalized despite
numerous changes in the top management of the organization in recent
years. Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade promised that with the
appointment of the new IMIDRO head he would make efforts to find the
required mechanisms to accelerate the process of activities at the
organization.
The Minister noted: “If the required liquidity was not provided for
the seven steel projects, grounds could be prepared for the presence of
the private sector. The experience of absorbing $1 billion in the past
for petrochemical projects shows that $200 million could be absorbed for
each of the steel projects.” He also stressed on prioritization of the
projects for implementation.
Nematzadeh underlined the need for achieving export of 50 million tons
of cement as an idea and noted: “Export of copper and aluminum should
be higher than the current rate.” According to the official, all energy
consuming industries should be considered priorities of the country and
gas export should be replaced by copper, aluminum and cement exports.
Therefore, he added, the private sector would find a better area for
performance.
Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade also called on Karbasian, the new
IMIDRO chief to consider certain points, including removal of obstacles
on the way of presence of the private sector in the mining section and
plans for export of 50 million tons of cement annually. He pointed to
the cases stipulated in the appointment decree of the chairman of IMIDRO
executive board and said it has been mentioned there that the
organization plays an effective role in development of industrial and
mining plans which also necessitates strengthening of the presence of
the private sector in the organization.
The Minister also urged the new IMIDRO head to pay special attention
to export of mineral products while providing the resources by giving
priority to different mining plans. Because, he said the iron ore should
not be exported as raw material at present time.
Emphasizing that in future the country should be able to export
copper, aluminum, steel and other mineral substances, Nematzadeh said:
“All energy consuming industries should be considered the wealth of the
country and we can export them to the neighboring countries by making
investment in the southern coasts of the country.”