President says gov’t ready to support NTBFs
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday announced the government’s readiness to support new technology-based firms (NTBFs), particularly in commercializing and marketing their products.
As part of his first provincial visit to Sistan and Baluchestan, Pezeshkian toured the province’s Industrial Park in the city of Zahedan, where he made the remarks, according to president.ir.
The park is home to 305 startup, tech, and creative companies, as well as 150 tech and innovation teams. These entities work across sectors such as software, hardware, artificial intelligence, IT, digital economy, electronics, creative industries, agriculture, and mining.
Also, during a meeting with academics and elites in the province, Pezeshkian pledged to consistently monitor the development of the Makoran region and the Persian Gulf coasts.
“We will do everything within the government’s authority for your province. You have unique capacities. With determination and effort, you can achieve anything, and we will work to create the necessary conditions for you.”
Progress in water supply, infrastructure projects
Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, who was part of the presidential delegation, reported 32% progress on the project to transfer water from the Sea of Oman to Zahedan. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve water quality and supply in Sistan and Baluchestan.
“The seawater transfer project, which starts its work in Chabahar, will deliver water to targeted cities and industries, eventually reaching northern regions of the country. Progress currently stands at 32% to Zahedan and 18% to Mashhad,” Aliabadi said.
Visiting Taftan County as the president’s representative, Aliabadi also inspected the Taftan gold mine and highlighted the province’s vast economic potential.
He noted that key infrastructure projects under the Ministry of Energy involve water recycling and large-scale power generation. Various projects, such as the one expanding the 50-megawatt wind power plant in the city of Zabol, fall under this category.
“These projects are categorized into short-term and long-term plans. For instance, water recycling is a short-term goal aimed at ensuring sustainable water use across the province,” the minister added.
Trade development initiatives
Meanwhile, Mohammadali Dehqan Dehnavi, the head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, highlighted Sistan and Baluchestan’s potential for trade development at another event at the province’s Mirjaveh border crossing.
He announced ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement with Pakistan and called for studies on establishing additional small border markets to boost regional commerce.
“Currently, the number of these markets is limited. With proper planning, new markets can be established in Sistan and Baluchestan to enhance trade opportunities,” Dehqan Dehnavi said.