Iran’s small and medium-sized enterprises are set to be plugged into bigger production networks under a new strategy that shifts support from scattered aid to structured supply-chain integration.
Tahmoures Lahouti Ashkouri, deputy minister of industry and head of the Iran Small Industries and Industrial Parks Organization, told an Iran Chamber of Commerce event that SMEs continue to carry a heavy share of production and employment despite tough economic conditions. ISIPO, he said, is now following six strategic axes aligned with the ministry’s ten-point industrial strategy.
The priorities are clear: upgrade value chains, build lasting links between small and large firms, and drive regional development based on local advantages. Mining stands out as a key target. Khaf in Khorasan Razavi has been selected for a specialized industrial park.
The digital vision is equally ambitious. Lahouti argued that an industrial park can no longer be defined as land and sheds. New-generation parks, he said, must become smart, specialized and sustainable ecosystems offering shared digital services, integrated energy management and data-driven governance. One park will serve as a pilot, with plans to launch one in each of the 31 provinces next year.
ISIPO has also rolled out Iran’s subcontracting exchange system with the Chamber. It links SMEs to large industries in energy equipment, connectors, electric motors, power plant equipment and water treatment. The goal is stable, transparent ties, stronger supply chains and reduced import dependence.
Chamber Vice President Bagheri cautioned that the system must produce real contracts, not just data, and help SMEs enter national and global value chains.
