TEHRAN -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani called on the East Azarbaijan senior managers to converge their efforts on the development of the province.

In a meeting with the senior managers of the East Azarbaijan Province, Rafsanjani said managers have to pay attention to the development affairs rather than the political discussions.

He said the political issues would be dealt with by the politicians and the mangers would have to mull over how best they could conduct the construction works, IRNA reported.

The construction would make the people place confidence on the system officials, he said.

He said a promoted public confidence in the system would positively influence the economic progress in the country and would contribute to the prosperity.

The people's trust in the system would consolidate the pillars of the Islamic system while introducing a negative image of the government would broaden the gap between the officials and people, he noted.

He stressed the prime importance of the national concord and said it would guarantee national interests and public participation in affairs, social justice and democracy.

He called on officials to observe the public demands as a way to conduct efforts to achieve the key goal of promoting the national unity.

He touched on the rich aluminum reserves in the province and said these resources have not been exploited yet and hence should be exploited.

He said Iran could have become the biggest producer of aluminum in the world if the aluminum reserves had been used and exploited properly.

He said plans are underway in the East Azarbaijan to develop the aluminum production line in the province while adding that aluminum production line of the East Azarbaijan was a source of national pride.

Commenting on the strategic location of the province, he said the East Azarbaijan is the bridge linking the west and the east.