Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.13 / Trend F.Mehdi/
Some 700,000 Iranians are currently working in industrial estates across the country, IRNA quoted Iranian Deputy Industry Minister Fakhrollah Molaii as saying.
He added that 904 industrial estates and areas have been established in the country where 30,000 industrial units are in operation.
Around 17,000 new industrial units are being established in the industrial estates and areas, he noted.
In December 2012, ISNA quoted Molaii as saying that some 74,000 industrial units are considered as small businesses. They have created almost 600,000 jobs, he noted.
Exports of Iran's industrial products has risen 40 per cent in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20, 2012), Press TV quoted Safdar Rahmatabadi, deputy industry minister for legal affairs, as saying.
He reaffirmed Iran's resolve to further promote non-oil exports noting that Iranian products are now sold in the markets of 170 countries.
Rahmatabadi pointed out that despite the West's sanctions and economic pressures, Iranian products are among the best commodities in the world.
Iran is among the top 10 countries in terms of mineral resources and its automobile and food industries rank 13 and 30 respectively in the world, the official added.