At Minex 2025 expo
Iran breaking mold to woo investors: Officials
Iran is stepping up efforts to attract international investment into its mining sector, officials said on Tuesday at the opening of the 14th International Exhibition on Investment Opportunities in Iran’s Mining and Mining Industries (Minex 2025) in Tehran.
“Our outlook in the mining sector has moved beyond traditional frameworks, and we are now forming constructive economic relations with neighboring countries,” said Mohammad Reza Bahraman, head of Iran’s Mining House at the international expo.
“Today, interaction with countries such as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, South Africa, Poland, South Korea, Nigeria and Turkey is underway, with representatives of these countries actively present at the exhibition,” he said.
The Mining House head emphasized on Iran’s “valuable place in the global mining geography,” and called it “a good opportunity for boosting the sector.” He added that there is “serious willingness to expand trade cooperation and joint investments across various fields,” which he described as a chance to open new paths for economic and cultural ties between Iran and other nations.
The country, with an estimated $27.3 trillion in mineral capital, ranks as the world’s fifth-largest holder of mineral reserves and the 15th-largest mineral-rich country overall. It has 81 types of minerals, according to official data. Iranian policymakers frequently call mining the backbone of industrial development and argue it should replace oil as the primary source of revenue.
With the aim of showcasing the latest domestic and foreign mining technologies, machinery and services, and introducing investment opportunities, the four-day exhibition is being held across seven sections: mining, machinery and equipment, stock exchange and economy, exploration, health and environment, mineral industries, a special section on precious and semi-precious stones, and universities.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture described the Tehran exhibition as “an opportunity to remind the country’s broader goals for the mining sector, and a platform for dialogue among private players, policymakers and government officials.”
The large presence of foreign ambassadors, Samad Hassanzadeh said, underlined the international importance of the event and the cooperation potential it offered.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Hassanzadeh noted that Iran, with about 1% of the world’s population, holds 7% of global mineral reserves.
He said that more than 75% of the country’s mineral production is carried out by the private sector, according to data from the chamber’s research center. “This shows the private sector’s strong capacity, but to achieve real growth and impact, it requires support and stability in diverse mining and mineral industries investments,” he added.
According to him, “Iran’s Seventh Development Plan has set a target of 13% growth for the mining sector, which is achievable with incentive policies and programs to attract investors.”
On the sidelines of the exhibition, Mohammad Aghajanlou, head of state-owned mining and metals holding IMIDRO, said about $2.5 billion has been allocated this year to complete and launch mining and infrastructure projects. He added that significant steps in building power plants and developing gas fields were also underway to push the industry toward greater self-sufficiency and efficiency.