Mehrdad Lahooti, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament’s Budget and
Planning Commission, emphasized the need to expand downstream petrochemical
industries to strengthen the value chain.
"Optimizing domestic resources, curbing crude sales, and shifting
toward processed products are essential in the current economic climate,"
Lahooti told NIPNA.
He noted that expanding petrochemicals and downstream industries could
generate significantly more employment and revenue than selling crude oil or
unprocessed petrochemical products.
"Reaching downstream value chains is a priority policymakers must
pursue, as it creates investment opportunities for companies in the
petrochemical sector," he said.
Lahooti also stressed that increasing petroleum product output and
further reducing crude sales could help neutralize the impact of sanctions, but
achieving this goal requires stronger commitment and effort.