REFORM AND INCREASED foreign investment seem needed more than ever in Iran, as Euromoney frantically types in a dilapidated, shah-era hotel, desperate to save this story from another power blackout. But can privatization solve the country’s problems?
About 230 companies will be privatized in the Iranian year 1387 (March 2008 to March 2009) – compared with 167 companies the previous year, and just 40 the year before that.
"Last year France privatized the most companies in Europe but we privatized more," says Heidari Kord Zanganeh, chairman of the Iranian Privatization Organization, referring to 2007.
One of the biggest companies up for sale this year is the Telecommunications Company of Iran. This controls 90% of the mobile telephone market, and 100% of fixed lines in this country of 70 million people.
According to Kord Zanganeh, a number of foreign telecoms companies have expressed an interest in buying a 35% stake –...
You must be a subscriber to access this archived content.
If your subscription includes access to the archive, please log in now to view.
To gain access to this content visit the subscription page or call our hotline on +44 (0)207 779 8999.
Subscribe online now and save up to 30% on your subscription.
If you are a trialist or subscriber, please enter your username and password at the top right-hand side of euromoney.com
Subscribers to Euromoney benefit from:
- 12 months access in print and online - on euromoney.com, read the latest issue early online, search for specific developments by region or sector, interrogate the results of Euromoney's benchmark polls, and view the archive dating back to 1996
- More than 30 specialist research guides free
- The results of Euromoney’s polls and surveys
- Tailored RSS news feeds direct to your desktop
- News delivered directly to your mobile device or PC
- Personalised email newsfeed of 'Top stories' and 'Breaking news'
Click here to subscribe