Ardabil unveils 304 investment opportunities, launches 12 economic projects
The first International Investment Conference of Ardabil Province opened on Thursday with the unveiling of 304 investment opportunities, as Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni inaugurated 12 new economic projects in the northwestern Iranian province.
The two-day conference, attended by Momeni, local businesspeople, commercial attachés, and ambassadors from several countries, aims to create a platform for domestic and foreign investment in Ardabil and foster multilateral economic partnerships, IRNA reported.
Delegations from Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Dagestan are participating in the event, according to Tasnim news agency.
During a ceremony at the newly-launched Ardabil Steel Complex, where the 12 projects simultaneously came online, Momeni said that 56 investment plans had reached the contracting stage during the international conference and $50 million in currency-based memoranda of understanding had been signed.
“We hope to soon receive reports on the implementation of these MOUs and contracts related to the identified investment opportunities,” Momeni said.
The 12 newly operational economic projects are expected to directly create 400 jobs and include the Ardabil Steel Complex, the province’s first agricultural park—centered on the Moghan Agro-Industrial Company—and the commencement of construction on Ardabil’s Science and Technology Park.
Momeni praised Ardabil’s potential, calling it a leading province in trade, investment, and tourism.
“Ardabil could become a national hub in all these areas,” he said, citing strong coordination among provincial officials and the determination of local entrepreneurs as key drivers.
He also highlighted upcoming infrastructure developments, noting that completion of the Ardabil-Mianeh railway line in the coming months and its connection to Iran’s national rail network would significantly boost exports from Ardabil to other provinces and neighboring countries.
“The completion of the Ardabil–Mianeh railway and its linkage to the national rail system is a major development that can facilitate exports and bring transformative change to the province,” Momeni added.