Pezeshkian hails multibillion-dollar investment plan by private sector in SW region
Business leaders and entrepreneurs have promised to invest eight quadrillion rials ($6.7 billion) in the southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday during a visit to the region.
Speaking at the session in the provincial capital Yasuj, Pezeshkian called the commitment “a very significant achievement” and “a sweet opportunity” for the region’s development, saying the figure exceeded the entire government budget of six quadrillion rials ($5 billion) designated for development across Iran.
“This development, driven by private actors in coordination with banks and firms, is a major achievement in my view,” Pezeshkian said, according to his website president.ir, reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting deprived areas.
“The government’s duty is to serve the people, especially in underdeveloped areas.”
He noted that all state actions, particularly in sensitive sectors like water, agriculture, soil, and the environment, would strictly follow expert evaluations.
“The government will not intervene without expert consensus,” he stated. “Whatever universities determine to be scientifically, technically, and environmentally sound, that’s what we will implement.”
Drawing a cautionary example from Tehran which faces water scarcity, Pezeshkian warned against development detached from ecological realities.
“We have emptied the land beneath our feet [from water] — we diverted river water, and now Tehran and surrounding cities face severe water stress, land subsidence, and a dangerous environmental future,” he warned. “We must manage resources wisely and make no decisions without scientific backing.”
Infrastructure projects opened
Prior to the president’s remarks, several key infrastructure projects in the province’s health, energy and agricultural sectors were inaugurated.
Officials opened the new Zagros specialty and subspecialty hospital in Yasuj, a health-sector project that the government said will create 120 direct jobs.
Energy authorities also commissioned substations, transmission lines and related transmission and sub-transmission works intended to strengthen the province’s power grid and improve network stability.
In the city of Gachsaran, the Delnaz slaughterhouse and cold-storage facility was opened with a capacity of 32,000 tons. The factory is expected to create 250 jobs and add 1,400 tons to the province’s cold-storage capacity, boosting the region’s food-processing infrastructure.