Industry Minister discusses establishing industrial city between Iraq and Iran
The Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, Khaled Battal Al-Najm, and the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadeq. Photo: Iraqi News Agency
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, Khaled Battal Al-Najm, discussed on Tuesday the possibility of establishing a joint industrial city between Iraq and Iran with the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadeq, according to a statement cited by the state news agency (INA).
The statement elaborated that Al-Najm received Al-Sadeq and his accompanying delegation where they discussed mechanisms for future cooperation in different industrial fields.
The meeting included discussions about the possibility of cooperation in industries such as heavy equipment, cement and iron, as well as mineral investment and the establishment of an industrial city, the statement mentioned.
The meeting also addressed the possibility of entering into real partnerships through the General Directorate of Industrial Development to develop private sector factories and to establish small and medium industrial projects to provide job opportunities for young people, the statement revealed.
Al-Najm emphasized that the ministry plans to develop strategic industries and to enter into promising partnerships with the private sector to establish modern and advanced factories to provide locally manufactured products able to compete and meet the market needs.
The Iraqi Minister of Industry noted that it is possible to cooperate to establish a joint industrial city between Iraq and Iran, similar to the joint economic city between Iraq and Jordan.
Al-Najm called on specialized Iranian companies to participate in the conference on mining, petrochemicals and fertilizers scheduled to be held in May, the statement clarified.
The Iranian ambassador stressed the importance of strengthening the cooperation and joint work with the ministry in several industrial fields, expressing readiness to communicate to reach effective cooperation that serves the interests of the two neighboring countries.