To achieve the goal, Morteza Shahmirzaei added, the incumbent government also plans to remove obstacles and deregulate this sector of the petrochemical industry to increase production and job opportunities.

Speaking prior to the kickoff of IranPlast International Exhibition, he said the 13th administration has given top priority to the value chain completion by preventing the selling of petrochemical raw materials through developing the downstream industry.

Furthermore, supporting technology-based firms and homegrown products as well as indigenizing catalysts are among the government’s strategies, the official pointed out.

Shahmirzaei, who is also the National Petrochemical Company chief, said NPC’s executive policy on production focuses on making optimum use of installed capacity by applying domestic know-how.

Shifting to upcoming IranPlast International Exhibition, he said the expo has been the platform of the downstream industry in its previous 16 editions, acquiring a high status in the region’s petrochemical industry and changing the global view about Iran’s petrochemical sector.

The 17th IranPlast International Exhibition will be held at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground from September 17-20.