Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 6th International Pharma
Middle East Exhibition, Shahmirzaei highlighted the comprehensive strategy
developed to achieve this goal.
"Given the Supreme Leader's emphasis on preventing the sale of
raw and semi-raw materials, the Petroleum Ministry has prepared and issued a
comprehensive document outlining the value chain completion policy for the petrochemical
industry," he stated.
Shahmirzaei noted that the petrochemical sector, with over six decades
of history in Iran, has seen significant growth.
"Before the Islamic Revolution, the industry produced 1.6 million
tons annually, limited to 12 products. Today, Iran's petrochemical production
capacity exceeds 95 million tons per year with a diverse product
portfolio," he added.
He also reported that the petrochemical industry currently leads
Iran's non-oil export sector. "With the official launch of six
petrochemical projects last week and plans to inaugurate 15 more by the end of
the year, the total production capacity will reach 100 million tons
annually," Shahmirzaei said.
Addressing the need for sustainable feedstock supply, Shahmirzaei
emphasized the importance of energy management and optimal resource utilization
to overcome current imbalances and ensure sufficient feedstock for the
industry.
Petrochemicals Supply Over 70% of Pharmaceutical Raw Materials
Shahmirzaei underscored Iran's position as a major producer of basic
petrochemical materials, supplying over 70-80% of the raw materials needed by
the pharmaceutical industry. He stressed the significance of connecting the
pharmaceutical supply chain from basic petrochemicals to active pharmaceutical
ingredients, achieving greater self-sufficiency in the country’s drug
production.
Inviting companies and health sector stakeholders to invest in the
petrochemical industry, Shahmirzaei highlighted the potential for added value
through investment in petrochemical projects to meet the healthcare sector's
needs.
Joint Meeting of Three Deputy Ministers at Pharma Middle East
Exhibition
On the sidelines of the Pharma Middle East Exhibition, Shahmirzaei met
with Mohammad Mehdi Baradaran, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, and
Seyed Heydar Mohammadi, Deputy Minister of Health and Head of the Food and Drug
Administration. They discussed expanding inter-ministerial collaboration to
realize the strategic goal of completing the value chain, particularly in the
pharmaceutical industry.
The 6th International Exhibition of Pharmaceutical, Chemical, and
Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials is being held from July 4 to 7 at the
Shahr-e-Aftab Exhibition Center.