Arsalan Zare made the remarks during a ceremony marking the loading of the second jacket for Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field at the Sadra yard in Bushehr. He congratulated the nation on Government Week and paid tribute to the country’s martyrs.

“Iran’s most important advantage lies in its rich human resources, followed by its God-given assets such as oil, gas and minerals,” Zare said.

Referring to this year’s theme, declared by Iran’s supreme leader as “investment for production,” Zare said the slogan is a strategic necessity for the country’s development amid what he called “unjust sanctions.”

He described the Phase 11 jacket loading as the result of Iranian perseverance and hard work, noting it was built in more than 840,000 man-hours without any accidents.

Zare added that the government has pursued reliance on domestic capacity, social capital and public support in the face of rising energy demand and intensified sanctions in recent years. He said the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian has achieved significant progress in various sectors.