First domestically-produced car engine production line inaugurated in Tehran on Tuesday.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--The project to manufacture the first domestically-produced car engine was officially launched in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
Speaking to managers and engineers involved in the project, Ahmadinejad described the Iranian nation as talented and creative, and added that the nation has the potential to attain sustainable development.
He referred to economic arena as competitive and challenging, and hoped that the production of national engine will be a turning point in the development of the auto industry.
“Everybody should strive to help the country reach self-sufficiency in auto manufacturing,“ said Ahmadinejad pointing out that assembling foreign sedans is not acceptable anymore.
Pointing to import of more than two billion dollars worth of auto parts, the chief executive asked the officials to ensure domestic production of auto parts as this will not only do away with imports, but will also create more jobs.
The president observed that domestic talents and workforce lacked the self-confidence since the enemies did not want Iran to attain growth and become independent of foreigners.
“The Islamic Revolution of Iran has improved self-confidence of the nation,“ he said, noting that production of the national engine is a national success for which domestic experts and engineers should be given credit.
The national engine has been designed for Samand sedan, which is manufactured by the giant carmaker Iran Khodro, but the Ministry of Industries and Mines has proposed that the 1.4 liter model could also be used in products of the other carmaker, Saipa.
Iranian engineers have so far produced two engines, one turbo-charged 1700-cc engine in partnership with the Germans and a 1400-cc one independently.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf announced on Tuesday that 84 percent of the revenues envisaged in the March 2006-2007 budget for Tehran Municipality will be materialized.
Reporting to Tehran City Council on the municipality’s programs for the second time in 18 months, he defended his proposed budget for Tehran Municipality which is 33 trillion rials, ISNA reported.
Noting that urban management activities in the second Tehran Council began with a revenue of five trillion rials, Qalibaf pointed out that the figure has shown a four-fold increase.
Addressing a number of councilors of the Third Tehran Council, he noted that according to expert studies, this figure should increase to 75 trillion rials within the next four years.
Noting that Tehran needs 50 trillion rials for development schemes, 20 trillion rials for maintenance works and five trillion rials for its staff, Qalibaf noted that in the third four-year tenure of Tehran City Council, the municipality should achieve an annual 75-trillion-rial increase in its budget.
Referring to plans to draw up a five-year plan for Tehran, the mayor noted that everything is prepared for change in Tehran and the 33-trillion-rial proposed budget for the Iranian year March 2007-2008 also focuses on bringing about changes in Tehran.
“Tehran Municipality does not have a sustainable budget. Its revenue policy is not based solely on the sale of housing density,“ he added.
The mayor pointed out that there are good financial resources, as well as small and big investments in Tehran. “Grounds for making use of such resources in the municipality without impacting inflation have been drawn up,“ he added.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--Ground is prepared for attracting foreign investments and foreigners are showing more inclination towards investing in sectors which have relative advantages such as energy, observed Chairman of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines (ICCIM) Alinaqi Khamoushi.
Speaking to ILNA, he recalled that the economy was centralized in the past 80 years and a strong will is a prerequisite for transforming it into a private-dominated one.
He added that economic development is contingent upon non-centralized structures and public involvement is necessary to ensure the progress of the scheme otherwise achieving the objectives of 20-Year Vision will not be possible.
He pointed out that the economic structure of the country cannot be overhauled overnight, and this process is difficult and time consuming.
Khamoushi added that the private sector should prepare necessary grounds for attaining the target.
He noted that the Leader has outlined the general policies of Article 44 of the Constitution which envisages wide-scale privatization by issuing a directive and undoubtedly the private sector should execute the guidelines.
He said that economic structure of the country had been inactive for long and the private sector was operating in the form of small and medium size firms while large companies should be established to implement Article 44.
“With notification of the leader’s decree doors have been opened to foreign investment in industries. Overseas entrepreneurs can enter into partnership with the private sector and take between one and 99 percent of the companies’ shares. They can also assume the management,“ he concluded.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi said on Tuesday that given its historical record and natural wealth, Iran can serve as a link between the present and the past of mankind.
Speaking at a seminar entitled ’Development of Rural and Tribal Tourism’, the minister termed Iran’s natural and historical potentials as unique.
He pointed out that the warm springs, coastline, sea and mountains, as well as being a country of four seasons year round have given an extraordinary peculiarity to the identity of Iranians. “Moreover, cultural and artistic attractions have added to the country’s uniqueness,“ the minister added.
Noting that all such individualities add to the identity of Iranians, Pourmohammadi contended that many historical evidence obtained from inscriptions and historical treatises indicate that the Iranians were knowledgeable about their human rights and cultural wealth.
Noting that Iran has the biggest historical, artistic and cultural collection of the world, he pointed out that the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam Reza (AS) with its numerous spiritual treasures is the biggest tourism hub.
“However, due to religious restraints we cannot permit a large number of foreign tourists to visit the holy shrine,“ he added.
Referring to the civilization, history and divine blessings as people’s great assets, he noted that all Iranians are duty-bound to be sensitive and do their best to protect such assets.
“If we want to have a dialogue with other people in the fields of culture and civilization, we should try to make our historical records more transparent and provide the people of the world with evidence of our civilization and culture,“ the minister added.

KISH ISLAND, Hormuzgan,
Feb. 27--A letter of cooperation was signed here Monday evening between Kish Free Trade Zone (KFTZ) and Iraqi Kurdistan on investment in different economic fields.
Iraqi presidential advisor for commercial affairs, Abdullah Saeed Ma’rouf and KFTZ member of Board of Directors Mehdi Chamanzad signed the agreement.
Chamanzad said there are capacities for cooperation in the fields of tourism, custom, exchanging goods, establishment of an airline and higher education between Kish Free Trade Zone and Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Iraqi official expressed hope that regional economy can develop with the signing of the agreement.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Raul de la Nuez Ramirez, who is here to attend a conference on Latin American and to sign a preferential trade agreement, conferred with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Monday.
At the meeting, Mottaki referred to the common political stances of Iran and Cuba on world developments and underlined the need for cooperation between the two countries in economic fields. He added that the two sides have high capacities for such cooperation.
According to IRNA, he noted that experienced Iranian companies in the fields of building refineries, construction of dams, power plants, automobile factories and other major projects can share their experiences in Cuba.
The foreign minister described the joint economic commission as a forum to accelerate mutual economic ties and expressed Iran’s readiness to take big steps towards developing economic cooperation between the two countries.
For his part, Raul de la Nuez Ramirez conveyed warm greetings of the Cuban foreign minister to his Iranian counterpart and termed the holding of Latin American conference in Tehran ’a valuable initiative’, adding, “Cuba, as the chairman of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) with other members of that movement, supports Iran’s legitimate right to peaceful nuclear technology.“
The Cuban minister underlined the need to boost bilateral cooperation in the transportation, building construction, light and medium industry sectors.

TEHRAN, Feb. 27--Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi called on Tuesday for formation of a unit in the Intelligence Ministry to monitor and promote investment patterns.
Ayatollah Shahroudi said that formation of such unit is for fulfilling the Intelligence Ministry’s duties in creation of economic security and supervision of the ministry over affairs such as ceding of governmental companies or preventing waste of investment opportunities, IRNA reported.
The judiciary chief also emphasized that the Intelligence Ministry should identify those who meddle in investment security affairs.
“The Intelligence Ministry should have full supervision over investment affairs and identify those who endanger the investment security,“ he added.
Noting that all judicial and security institutions should have consensus under the prevailing conditions, Shahroudi noted that the enemy is trying to exert pressure on Iranians and create a chaotic atmosphere in the country through imposing economic sanctions on Iran.
“The economic sector of the Intelligence Ministry in line with other related institutions, including State Audit Organization can play an important role in nullifying the enemy’s plots,“ he added.