According to a report by The Economist, Iran has been ranked 39th for producing $23 billion of industrial products in 2008.The Economist. Retrieved 7 June 2009. From 2008 to 2009 Iran has leaped to 28th place from 69th place in annual industrial production growth rate.
The government of Iran has plans for the establishment of 50–60 industrial parks by the end of the fifth Five-Year Socioeconomic Development Plan by 2015.http://mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspxNewsID=509073? retrieved 12 February 2008 Iranian contractors have been awarded several foreign tender contracts in different fields of construction of dams, bridges, roads, buildings, railroads, power generation, and gas, oil and petrochemical industries. As of 2011, some 66 Iranian industrial companies are carrying out projects in 27 countries. Iran has exported over $20 billion worth of technical and engineering services over 2001–2011. The availability of local raw materials, rich mineral reserves, experienced manpower have all collectively played crucial role in winning the international bids.
Ministry of Industries and Mines
Ministry of Industries and Mines is in charge of facilitating the expansion and promotion of industrial and mineral policies. The Ministry is also in charge of centralization and integration of policy making in the industrial and mining sector. Finally, this Ministry regulates all strategies, policies and plans relevant to the industrial and mining sector in Iran. The Department for High Technology Industries, also known as the High Tech Industries Centre (HTIC) is active in promoting research activities and in supporting the emergence of high tech firms. As of 2014, Iran has 930 industrial parks and zones.
Small and medium enterprises
As of 2014, 81,000 small industrial units employed more than 1 million workers in Iran. Small industries constitute 92 percent of Iranian industries, 45 percent of the country's industrial employment, and 17 percent of the country's production. In Iran, because of its weakness or absence, the support industry makes little contribution to the innovation/technology development activities. Supporting the development of small and medium enterprises will strengthen greatly the supplier network in Iran. Difficulty in accessing financing is also a major concern for small and medium enterprises.The Missing Middle in Iran’s Industries . Financial Tribune Daily. Retrieved 14 September 2015. In 2016, Iran had nearly 3,000 knowledge-based firms accounting for 70,000 jobs and $6.6 billion in revenue.
As of 2019, 43,650 SMEs were based in over 800 industrial parks in Iran, of which nearly 78 percent or 33,800 were active (1,100 of those SMEs are exporting domestic products to global markets).
A 2003-report made by United Nations Industrial Development Organization regarding the state of SME's in Iran identified these causes as the ones impeding Iran's industrial development: lack of monitoring institutions, inefficient banking system, lack of sufficient R&D, shortage of managerial skills, corruption, inefficient taxation, socio-cultural apprehensions, absence of social learning loops, lack of familiarity with international markets necessary for global competition, cumbersome bureaucratic procedures, shortage of skilled labor, lack of intellectual property protection, shortage of research centers, lack of social capital, social learning, social responsibility and socio-cultural values.UNIDO: Iran's Small and Medium Enterprises retrieved 2 February 2010
Despite these problems, recent studies reveal that over the past few years Iran has progressed rapidly in various scientific and technological fields. Major advancements have taken place in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, defense, and heavy industry sectors. Even in the face of U.S. economic sanctions, Iran appears to be emerging as an industrialized country.
Production statistics
Tehran is the economic centre of Iran.britannica.com , accessed: June 2009. About 30% of Iran's public-sector workforce and 45% of large industrial firms are located in Tehran and almost half of these workers work for the government.
+Production of selected industrial goods Source: Ministry of Commerce (Iran) 2003 2001 1999 Unit Product 26390 18180 12699TonPreserved fish (tuna & sardine) 1264915 801395 671346TonPasteurized milk 1179139 852353 950555 TonVegetable oil 1495 1113 923TonSugar 4976 4818 4418Thousand tonsNon-alcoholic carbonated drink (except buttermilk) 112 60 000Million bottlesBarley decoction13873 13359 20143 Million eachCigarette 293188 388790 227599TonThread 396 551 385Million metersFinished fabric 41195 51875 33933Thousand square metersMachine woven carpet 81286 43014 41676Thousand square metersUnwoven textile floor covering 11918 8166 5696Thousand eachBlanket 390210 315502 359037TonPaper 360017 306249 321232TonDetergent 60607 75918 74984TonSoap 1654 2351 2665Million boxesMatches 28241 24755 22219Thousand tonCement 103867 76827 64105Thousand square metersTiles and ceramic 490 346 342EachCombine 15377 12208 5173EachTractor 1505 612 532EachRoad construction machinery447063212664182504EachWashing machine 13624 24559 21198Thousand eachElectric sockets and switches 399692 129256 114399EachRadio sets and record players 858190 807964 860403EachColor TV sets832420933741599701EachWater counter 1189912 906671 842063EachElectricity counters 663164 332643 194366EachMotor cars 1075 328 353EachAmbulances 12779 4303 3938EachTrucks and lorries 4460 1643 3783EachBuses 537 3226 940EachMini buses 69036 46639 38508EachVans and Mini vans
Food industry
The sector also employs approximately 328,000 people or 16.1% of the entire industry sector's workforce. Iran exported $736 million worth of foodstuffs in 2007 and $1 billion (~600,000 tonnes) in 2010. Soft drinks, mineral water, biscuit, chocolate, confection, edible oil, dairies, conserved foods and fruits, jam and jelly, macaroni, fruit juice and yeast were among the main exports to Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Canada, Venezuela, Japan, South Korea and Turkey. As of 2015, Swiss-based Buhler Group is a leading supplier of industrial equipment to Iran's food industry.
Retail industry
At present the Iranian retail industry is largely in the hands of cooperatives, many of them government-sponsored, and of independent retailers in the bazaars. The bulk of food sales occur at street markets, where the Chief Statistics Bureau sets the prices.
Behpakhsh Co., Golrang Pakhsh and Ghasem Iran are the largest distribution companies in Iran. Ghasem provides more than 80,000 retailers with their requirements of consumer goods within the territories of Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Iran has 438,478 small grocery retailers. These are especially popular in cities other than Tehran where the number of hypermarkets and supermarkets is still very limited. More mini-markets and supermarkets are emerging, but these are mostly one-off, independently owned operations. The most significant chains are the state-owned Etka, Refah, Shahrvand and Carrefour-owned Hyperstar Market, all of which are gearing up for expansion.http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/economy/ap/61443072.html Migros Turk has also announced that it intends to invest in Iran's lucrative retail market. In 2010, a state-linked technology group (the Rouyesh Technical Centre) established the country's first online supermarket.
Imports still account for a considerable proportion of consumer goods consumption in Iran, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based companies meet much of the demand; they re-export from Western and Asian countries, making Iran the UAE's most important re-export market. In 2012, Iranians spent $77 billion on food, $22 billion on clothes and $18.5 billion on outward tourism. In 2015, overall consumer expenditures and disposable income are respectively projected to be $176.4 billion and $287 billion.
Before the revolution in 1979, Iran was a major importer of Western apparel and foreign-manufactured consumer goods. Even now Iran is no stranger to Western retail influences, with numerous brands and goods available in shopping centers and outlets on Kish Island. Latest major shopping centers constructed in Iran as of 2017 are:
Isfahan City Center (5 million square feet) with 750 units; Persian Gulf Complex (4.8 million square feet) with 2,500 units; Iran Mall (21 million square feet); Tehran Mall (1.6 million square feet) with 500 units; Atlas Mall (1.5 million square feet) with 308 units; Palladium Mall (1.1 million square feet) with 105 units; Laleh Park Shopping Center (985,000 square feet) with 126 units; Arg Complex (840,000 square feet) with 200 units; Oxin City Center (540,000 square feet) with 100 units.
The Supreme Leader of Iran has repeatedly urged Iranians to consume more domestically produced goods over imported ones to support the resistance economy and import substitution industrialization.
Brands According to research study, IEI, Bank Saderat Iran, Hamrah Aval, Iran Khodro, Sanatiran, Wagon Pars, Sanayeiran, Machine Sazi Arak (MSA), Zar Macaron, DESA, Pars Khodro, HEPCO, Steel Alborz, IRALCO, Yek-o-Yek, AzarAb Industries, Golbaft, Navard Aluminium, Takdaneh, Darou Pakhsh, Kalleh, Behrouz, Delpazir, Iran Combine Manufacturing Company (ICM), Sepehr Electric, Arjan, Khoshkhab, Novin Zafaran, Havilux, Boof chain restaurants, Telavang and Golrang are the best brands in the country. Hamshahri and Donya-e-Eqtesad newspapers and Movafaqiyat magazine were selected as the best press.
Automotive industry
Iran's automotive industry is the second most active industry of the country, after its oil and gas industry. Iran's automobile production crossed the 1 million mark in 2005. Iran holds some of the biggest industrial complexes in the region, Iran Khodro is the largest car manufacturer in the Middle-East, ITMCO is the largest tractor manufacturer in the middle east. Iran Khodro has established joint-ventures with foreign partners on 4 continents. Iran is the 12th largest automaker in the world.
Defense industry
The Iranian defense industry has taken great strides in the past 25 years, and now manufactures many types of arms and equipment, including its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, guided missiles, radar systems, guided missile destroyer, military vessels, submarines, and a fighter plane.Iran Launches Production of Stealth Sub . Retrieved 13 February 2008. According to Iranian officials, the country sold $100 million worth of military equipment in 2003, including NATO members, and as of 2006 had exported weapons to 57 countries.Irib Persian News Page Irib Persian News Page
In a conference, Iran's Deputy Minister of Defense said: Iran's military products exports from March 2022 to March 2023 have reached about one billion dollars.
Construction industry
Construction is one of the most important sectors in Iran accounting for 20–50% of the total private investment. The Central Bank of Iran indicate that 70 percent of the Iranians own homes. The housing industry is one of the few segments of the Iranian economy where state capital shares as little as two per cent of the market, and the remaining 98 per cent is private sector investment. There is little red tape or hurdles and, as a result, through launching mass development projects, the use of new technologies and fast-pace project execution, a larger portion of the housing market is accessible. This is also true for new construction materials and technological advances.
Mining and metals