TEHRAN — Iran restored or expanded nearly 600 mines in the past Iranian calendar year (ended late March 2025), marking the highest annual performance since the launch of the country's small-scale mining revitalization program, the head of the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) said on Sunday.

Mohammad Aghajani, who also serves as deputy minister of industry, mining, and trade, said a total of 594 small-scale mines were revived, reactivated, or developed under the program in the Iranian year 1403. The figure far exceeded the government’s initial target of 150 mines, representing a 296 percent increase.

Since the launch of the revitalization initiative in 2018, Iran has restored or reactivated 2,373 small-scale mines, according to IMIDRO data.

The program is a core component of Iran’s strategy to strengthen domestic mineral production and expand value chains in mining.

The number of reactivated or developed mines in 1402 (March 2023–March 2024) stood at 493, showing a 20 percent year-on-year increase in 1403.

Aghajani added that 96 investment packages were introduced in the past year as part of the program, and five tender winners were selected in February to conduct feasibility studies aimed at completing mineral value chains.

The project is coordinated by Iran Minerals Production and Supply Company (IMPASCO), a subsidiary of IMIDRO, which oversees implementation and investor engagement in small-scale mine rehabilitation across the country.

EF/MA