TEHRAN – The chairman of the Iranian Privatization Organization (IPO) speculated that 230 state-run companies will be privatized by the end of current Iranian calendar year (March 20).

Gholamreza Kord-Zanganeh said that the shares of 177 companies were offered in Tehran Stock Exchange in last Iranian year, noting that the country’s stock exchange value has been doubled within the past 1.5 years, increasing from $33 billion to more than $60 billion.
According to IRINN, Iran ranked third in the world in terms of privatization volume.
------- 8th Intl. hand-woven carpet fair kicks off in Tabriz
TABRIZ – The Eighth International Hand-Woven Carpet Exhibition inaugurated in Tabriz, northwestern Iran.
The fair aims to introduce Tabriz’s carpet industry to the world as well as the country, said Sadeq Najafi, the head of the province’s Commerce Organization.
A hand-woven carpet sale festival will be also held concurrently reported ISNA