Morteza Zakerian said the projects cover production, employment and exports, with realized investment reaching about 140 trillion rials. He said 55% of the province’s valid foreign investment permits, 40% of its active foreign-investment projects and 38% of related jobs have been created over the past two years.
Zakerian said the province was pursuing an “economic connectivity” model aimed at linking mining resources to industrial capacity and agriculture to value-added supply chains, reducing reliance on raw-material exports and increasing production, employment and economic value.
He also highlighted South Khorasan’s potential for renewable energy, saying the province’s vast land area, once viewed as a challenge for population-based budget allocations, could now provide a competitive advantage for large-scale solar power projects.
The official said the recent investment projects had been pursued without relying on government budget allocations, bank financing or state-provided foreign currency, arguing that limited public resources made it impossible to base the province’s entire development strategy on government funding.
He said attracting foreign capital was a complex process because investors could choose from opportunities around the world. Their decision to invest in Iran and South Khorasan, he added, reflected the province’s economic potential, planning and efforts to improve the investment environment.
Zakerian said provincial authorities were seeking to streamline investment procedures and ensure that investors received continued institutional support after entering the market. He warned that abandoning investors after their arrival could undermine confidence among both foreign investors in Iran and domestic investors in the province.
The province has also attracted investors from Oman, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Spain for the first time in the past two years, according to Zakerian. He said discussions had begun with Spanish investors, while the commercial section of Spain’s embassy had expressed interest in expanding cooperation.
Further talks are expected to explore opportunities for additional European investment in South Khorasan.