TEHRAN - Three new cement production plants will commence production by the end of the Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2007).

With three cement production plants due to become operational in the Iranian cities of Zanjan, Saveh and Firuzkuh by the year-end, around 1,004,200 tons of the product will be added to the nation's current production capacity, noted Monday, an official with Ministry of Industries and Mines.

The annual production capacity of Zanjan plant is scheduled to stand at 600,000 tons, Saveh, 3,600 tons and Firuzkuh, one million ton, the official announced.

He also commented that outputs from the three plants as well as other cement production projects in other parts of the country are expected to boost the country's production to more than 40 million tons by the end of the next year.

He put the nation's cement production at 35.2 million tons by the end of the current year and emphasized that the Ministry of Industries and Mines has maintained the figure will not be less than 40 million tons by the end of the next year.