TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited the northwestern province of Zanjan on Thursday, meeting with teachers, intellectuals, and artists as part of a one-day tour that also marked the inauguration of key housing and healthcare projects.

During the trip, Pezeshkian officially opened 8,661 housing units under Iran’s National Housing Movement scheme and launched a new glassware production facility. The housing units, located in both urban and rural areas, were developed at a cost of 125 trillion rials (around $250 million).

Speaking at a meeting with the province’s economic operators, Pezeshkian emphasized the need for decentralization, saying provinces can—and must—take the lead in driving regional and national development by fostering innovation and attracting public and private sector participation. He added that the delegation of power to governors will be aligned with the country's overarching development policies and national legislation.

The Zanjan housing units are part of a broader four-year initiative set to conclude by March 10, 2027, aiming to deliver 68,112 homes across the province. These include 27,062 government-supported units, 12,010 privately funded units, 9,021 units under urban regeneration programs, and 20,000 rural housing units.

So far, construction has begun on 61,192 homes, including 28,000 supported units, 7,474 private ownership units, 2,718 urban renewal units, and 23,000 rural units. Pezeshkian also visited the ongoing construction sites of additional housing projects under the same national program.

In a separate development, the president inaugurated two healthcare projects via video link. Among them was the expansion of Zanjan’s Shahid Beheshti Hospital, a philanthropic project named after benefactor Rajabali Moghadam. The five-story facility, which spans 6,445 square meters and includes a basement, has been designed to meet modern clinical and educational standards, with a focus on specialized medical services.

EF/MA