Official: Iran to Build 200,000 Housing Units in Syria

Date: 24 February 2019 - 21:23

News ID: ۶۳۵۲۷

TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran has undertaken to build 200,000 housing units in Syria, deputy head of the mass construction association of Tehran province Iraj Rahbar said on Sunday.
Iran and Syria recently signed a number of agreements to cooperate on Syria’s reconstruction and revive the war-torn country’s tourism and agriculture sectors, he said.
Most of the housing units will be built in Damascus, said Rahbar who reminded that Iran and Syria had signed construction protocols before the outbreak of war in the Arab country.
Last month, Iranian First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri traveled to Syria with a delegation of about 40 political and business figures who signed 11 agreements, including a "long-term strategic economic cooperation” deal.
Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis said Syria and Iran signed a "unique" and "historic” agreement which includes industry, trade and agriculture, calling it "a message to the world on the reality of Syrian-Iranian cooperation.”
President Bashar al-Assad has estimated that Syria’s reconstruction will cost between $250 billion and $400 billion.
In addition to providing $5.6 billion in loans, Iran has participated in Syria’s infrastructure projects, food production, and health services.
With the post-war reconstruction process already set in motion, Syria counts on Iran as its economic lifeline.
Because of terrorist attacks and US-led bombings, millions of homes, educational and health facilities, and infrastructure remain either damaged or destroyed.
Iran is best placed to play a leading role in their reconstruction because it is currently the Middle East’s largest producer of cement and steel.
The agreements signed last month included two memos of understanding between the railway authorities of the two countries as well as between their respective investment promotion authorities.
In relation to infrastructure, there was also rehabilitation of the ports of Tartus and Latakia as well as construction of a 540 megawatt energy plant, according to Khamis.