AHVAZ, Khuzestan Prov. — Jalil Eslami, the director general of Ports and Shipping Department of Khuzestan Province on Saturday announced that unloading and loading the mineral materials in Bandar Imam hit 6.7 million tons in the first ten months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2005).

Out of the said figure, 5.5 million tons has been for importing and unloading the cargos, and the rest has been for loading and exporting commodities via Bandar Imam, he noted.

As far as stevedoring goods is concerned, iron stands first with 178,000 tons for the former and 942,000 tons for the latter, he stated.

He added that aluminum constituted the least amount of unloading with 134,000 tons.

$30m finance allocated to renovation of dilapidated buildings in Bushehr

TEHRAN — The first Vice President Parviz Davudi on Saturday notified the approval on allocation of $30 million out of the finance resources for renovation of the dilapidated structures in southern Bushehr Province.

Based on the approval, the Interior Ministry has been tasked to supply the finance facilities as much as $30 million for the municipalities of Bushehr Province in this Iranian year (started March 21, 2005).

Having ratified by the cabinet, the approval has been notified to the Management and Planning Organization (MPO).

Over $1b of goods transited via Gilan’s customs offices

RASHT, Gilan Prov. — Over 1,273,000 tons commodities valued at some $1 billion were transited via the customs offices of northern Gilan Province in the first ten months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2005), Mohammadi, the director general of the province’s Customs Administration said on Saturday.

He added that the said amount of the transited cargos has increased by 104 percent and 21 percent in terms of weight and value respectively compared with the corresponding period last year.

Also he stated, in the same period, over 528,000 tons non-oil goods valued at $225 million have been transited via Anzali Customs Office, which have grown by 157 percent in weight and 98 percent in value compared with the corresponding period last year.

Forty requests received for investment in Sarakhs Free Zone

MASHHAD, Khorasan Razavi Prov. — Hamid-Reza Qasemi, the managing director of Sarakhs Free Zone Organization on Saturday announced that 40 demands for investment in the zone have been so far presented which are currently being evaluated.

He added that the demands have been forwarded in different fields such as auto and petrochemical sectors.

Qasemi named railroad as the most important problem presently existing in Sarakhs Free Zone.

Semnan exports to hit $382m by 2010

SEMNAN – Exports from this northern province will reach 382 million dollars by the end of the Fourth Development Plan (2005-10), said head of the provincial Trade Organization on Saturday.

Talebpur stated that in a ten-month period since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2005), Semnan Province exported some 34,136 tons of goods, valued at $20.1 million, to 18 countries across the world. “This showed 44% increase in weight compared to the corresponding period last year,” he added.

C. Asia, Afghanistan, main importers of Iranian-made woodwork

TEHRAN – In a ten-month period since the beginning of the current Iranian year, Iran exported some 7.68 million dollars of woodwork and furniture, mostly to its northeastern neighboring countries.

This showed 13 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. Afghanistan and Central Asia imported 88 percent of the total volume. According to Iran Customs Administration, Afghanistan ($2.87 million), Armenia ($1.87 million), Azerbaijan (784,000 dollars), Tajikistan (747,000 dollars), and Georgia (452,000 dollars) were listed as the major buyers of Iranian-made woodwork and furniture in the said period.