International
Iran-EU scientific office opens in Bonn (IRNA – 06 May 6, 2017)
Iran-EU Scientific Collaborations Office opened in Bonn on Saturday with the presence of Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Salar Amoli, 12 heads of universities and research centers from Iran.
The Iranian Scientific and Technological Attaché, Deputy Minister of Health and Medical Education, authorities from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany, and some local authorities attended the opening ceremony.
Salar Amoli said, “Expanding scientific collaborations between Iranian and European research centers and universities, expanding the number of Persian Language and Iranology departments, and using the scientific capabilities of the Iranian diaspora in Europe are of the goals of the establishment of this office.”
Business
Imported Flat Steel Buyers Bid Lower (Financial Tribune – 6 May 2017)
The upward trend in the global flat steel market has affected Iranian flat steel prices, but buyers are still looking for discounts, Metal Bulletin learnt on May 3.
Russian steelmaker MMK offered hot rolled coil at €390-420 ($426-459) per ton FOB Astrakhan, depending on the material size.
Currently, there is a 20% import duty imposed on HRC and cold rolled coil brought into Iran, while hot dipped galvanized coil is subject to 26% duty.
National
Qazvin-Rasht Railroad to Roll in Summer (Financial Tribune – 6 May 2017)
Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi said the under-construction railroad connection between Qazvin and Rasht will be completed and come on stream by the end of summer.
He was quoted as saying by the ministry’s news service that the 164-kilometer-long project, with an estimated value of 25 trillion rials (over $650 million), has made 91.5% progress.
The railroad passes through woods and mountains, including 25 kilometers of tunnels and 8.7 kilometers of bridges, making its construction difficult.
7 new petchem projects planned to come on stream by Mar. 2018 (Tehran Times – 6 May 2017)
Seven new petrochemical projects are planned to be implemented in the country by the end of current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2018), Shana quoted Ali-Mohammad Bosaqzadeh, the production control director of National Petrochemical Company (NPC), as saying.
NPC Managing Director Marziyeh Shahdaie had previously said that 30 petrochemical projects will be put into operation in the country by the end of the next calendar year (March 20, 2019).
She said that these projects will add 20 million tons to Iran’s annual output.
Petrochemical output is expected to exceed 59 million tons in the current year which will be an 18 percent increase year on year, according to the NPC managing director.
Tehran Oil Show aims to attract foreign technoloy, investment (IRNA- 6 May 2017)
The newly-inaugurated International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition in Tehran aimed at attracting further foreign technology and investments for the country’s oil industry, said a specialized monthly in oil industry.
According to ‘Iran Petroleum,’ the 22nd Oil Show “provides a good opportunity for Iranian and foreign companies to learn about the latest developments transpiring the petroleum industry with a view to starting to cooperate with each other.