URUMIEH President Seyed Mohammad Khatami Tuesday lauded the geographical location of the northwestern Iranian Province of West Azarbaijan as a transit point, saying such a strategic location would make businesses in the province flourish.
President Khatami made the remarks at a press conference before leaving Urumieh for Tehran.
He pointed to West Azarbaijan's favorable natural resources as an added impetus to development, but regretted the province has not fully realized its potential.
He cited poor education as one of the barriers to its development, stressing the need to establish educational research centers in the province to meet its requirements.
President Khatami also said that the groundwork for the province to flourish economically had been laid, particularly in such areas as agriculture, mines and tourism, but that an effective management was needed to improve the province's infrastructure which is indispensable for its economic development.
(IRNA)