One country, one province
Yadullah Karimipour
At least during the last 100 years, that is, from 1300 to today, Khuzestan has been the sole supporter of the Qajar, Pahlavi and Islamic Republic regimes in the administration of the country and has taken the biggest burden. How do you say? Please see:
1- Currency acquisition
From the Pahlavi period until now, most of the country’s income has been obtained from the export of oil-gas and their products from this province, Kohgiluyeh, Boyer Ahmad and Bushehr;
2- For this reason, Khuzestan is the location of the South Oil-rich National Company (the largest oil producer in Iran), the National Iranian Drilling Company, the Khuzestan Steel Company, and the Arundan Oil and Gas Company.
3- Ahvaz, the center of Khuzestan, has been the center of oil and gas distribution industries in Khuzestan and all oil-bearing regions in the south, west and east of Iran for decades. The establishment of the country’s largest oil refinery (Abadan) and the petrochemical industries of Bandar Imam and Mahshahr have turned this province into the industrial-petrochemical hub of Iran.
4- Khuzestan is also one of the main centers of smelting and steel factories and iron and steel products and pipe making in the country. Among these groups, we can mention Khuzestan Pipe Manufacturing, Iran National Steel Industrial Group, Khuzestan Steel Company, Kavian Rolling and Ahvaz Rolling and Pipe Company;
5- The main power plants of the country are located in this province. This means that more than 80% of electric energy is obtained in Khuzestan. At the same time, the large thermal and gas power plants of the country, such as: Ramin, Zergan, Abadan, Khorramshahr and Fajr, are located in Khuzestan;
6- Until the years before the Islamic Revolution, there was commercial shipping in the Karun River to Ahvaz, and part of the commercial transit load was transported through this route. But nowadays, the Karun river is practically out of the category of a navigable river and has turned into a sewage. Also, the ports of Abadan and Khorramshahr played a central role in maritime trade. Today, Imam Port is one of the two main sea ports of the country.
7- Khuzestan has been the largest producer of sugar and also the main producer of sugarcane paper in the country.
8- Khuzestan also has the first place in Iran with the production of 14 million and 200 thousand tons of agricultural products, including crops, horticulture, livestock and fisheries. Among other things, it has the first place in the production of wheat, corn, industrial plants and marigold. Also, more than 50% of dates are produced and exported in this province
9- At the same time, Khuzestan has the 6th place in chicken and broiler breeding and the 5th place in the country in terms of animal husbandry provinces and the second place in aquaculture in the country.
10- Khuzestan is the fifth producer of red meat in the country;
11- It is the first national owner of buffalo and its products.
Undoubtedly, the list of economic advantages of Khuzestan in the country can be reduced to 250 real items. But it is a pity that the Islamic Republic has not understood the importance of this region since the beginning of its formation in 1357; It is easy that the position of national, regional and sometimes global axes has retreated. In short, Khuzestan is the 11th place in the world due to having all the complete development resources of water and soil, oil and gas, metal minerals, sea and port location and renewable energies.
But the governments of Iran and the governments of the Islamic Republic have never had a strategic view towards this region, its people and its key neighboring provinces. Among other things, look at the approach policy of the worn out and lost government of Rouhani in the last 8 years towards the key provinces in the north of the Persian Gulf.
This post is written by amirBRZa