Iran's Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, Seyyed Mohammad Atabak, has called for strengthening the Mehran border crossing and activating other crossings in Ilam province to increase the province's share of national trade.
Speaking in Abdanan County, Atabak noted that Ilam's trade value-added share stands at just 0.6% —disproportionate to its 430-kilometer border with Iraq and significant commercial potential.
The Minister emphasized that the 14th government has introduced measures to facilitate border trade, and Ilam must capitalize on these opportunities to boost production, exports, and employment. He highlighted a stark industrial gap: while national industrial value-added averages 23–24%, Ilam's is only 3.9–4%. Of 645 industrial projects initiated in the province, 503 are inactive, and only two have reached 80–100% completion. Atabak stressed the need to prioritize projects with financial backing and economic viability, and to consider regional advantages from the outset to prevent unfinished ventures.
With 70–75% of Ilam's value-added derived from oil and gas, the Minister urged development of downstream industries to convert raw materials into higher-value products locally. He also called for proper management of industrial park lands, insisting they be allocated to genuine investors, not speculators. Specific pledges included pursuing a cement factory and resolving gas supply issues for the Abdanan tire plant.
Atabak also addressed Ilam's low economic participation rate of 29% versus the national average of 43–44%, attributing it to limited job opportunities. He announced meetings with tax and social security authorities to resolve activist concerns, and stressed that exports must be conducted in foreign currency to sustain production. The Minister's visit includes field assessments in Abdanan, Dehloran, Darrehshahr, and Badreh counties.
