AHVAZ, Khuzestan Prov. (IRNA) -- President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that similar to the past, today advancement of Iran depends on development of its oil industry.

The chief executive made the remark at the inaugural ceremony of Marun Petrochemical Complex, the commissioner of 7th Olefin Project, in the provincial city of Mahshahr, adding that expansion of the oil industry will give momentum to the overall development of the national industries.

Concerning employment in oil sector, he said that high priority should be given to indigenous manpower, adding that in case specialized individuals are required they should be sought elsewhere only if they are not available locally.

Turning to the environmental pollution associated with oil and gas industries, he said, "Given the capability of our youth to establish such a complex, no nearby village should be deprived of water and electricity.

"Iran has many potentials for making progress. Therefore, the backwardness witnessed in the country should be compensated quickly to enable us protect the human dignity of our nation."

Stating that today economy is used in the world for hegemonic purposes and imposing policies on the nations, the president said that thus the nations are insulted and threatened with sanctions if they do not accept such policies.

Ahmadinejad said that the best move to protect a nation's dignity will be to break economic reliance on others.

"I expect the oil industry to make use of its full capacities and thus enter onto the regional and international scene," he added.

The president said that Majlis will also support the industry to this end, adding that quick measures should be taken to render low-cost technical and engineering services to the world and attract various investors.

During his visit to Mahshahr, Khuzestan Province, the chief executive is being accompanied by Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh.

The project just implemented, which is called `7th Olefin', will yield 1.1 million tons of ethylene as intermediary product, 300,000 tons of polyethylene, 300,000 tons of polypropylene, 443,000 tons of ethylene glycol, 83,000 tons of benzene pyrolysis, ethylene oxide and slices of heavy propane.

Raw materials required by the downstream units of petrochemical, textile and adhesive industries will be produced at Marun Petrochemical Complex.

Mahshahr Special Economic Petrochemical Zone, Iran's most important center for production of petrochemical products was established in 1998.