The minister made the statement in his Monday’s meeting with managers and staff of National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) in the capital of southern province of Khuzestan.

Vaziri-Hamaneh discussed the latest developments in the country’s drilling industry and said, “During my last meeting with the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined the necessity to move toward meeting the oil industry’s need with domestic products.”

He added, “We have to enforce the Supreme Leader’s decree because 3.5 million people, mainly educated, are jobless and only prioritization of homemade products could establish a new goal for people.”

The minister quoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that the country needed to take risks and use domestic products even if their quality was poorer than similar foreign equipment.

“This is the introduction of a new chapter and Petroleum Ministry is duty-bound to replace foreign products with local ones,” he maintained.

“The initiative not only provides value added by saving foreign currency, but paves the way for creating job opportunities for the youth.

“Since its establishment, oil industry has helped other industries develop. The growth of domestic oil industry is prerequisite to the development of other industries. No organization except the oil body has such a capacity as the oil industry is faced with the greatest demand for equipment and parts.”

Vaziri-Hamaneh referred to National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) and National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) as the two main bodies of Iran’s oil industry, adding, “The duo are shouldering the main burden of oil and gas production in the country.”

He praised the NIDC for paying special attention to the supply and purchase of domestic products, including equipment and oil drilling rig.

Vaziri-Hamaneh expressed hope that the country would export equipment and drilling platform.