Iranian Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar said Thursday the country plans to provide subsidies for hybrid cars and electric vehicles to make environmentally friendly cars widely available, and urged Japanese carmakers to look at building plants there.
In an interview with Kyodo News inTehran, Ebtekar, who doubles as head of Iran's Environmental Department, said eco-friendly cars have a "great future in Iran," and expressed hope that Japanese automakers will produce vehicles in Iran for export as well.
Iran can become an export hub for the whole region, Ebtekar said, noting its access to "open seas and land to export to regional countries such as Turkey or even Europe and Africa."
Iran sees brighter economic prospects after it and six major countries reached a deal to lift economic sanctions in return for Iran curbing its nuclear program.
The sanctions imposed by the United States, Japan and Europe had "very detrimental effects on different aspects of Iran life," and impeded the country's access to new environmental technology, Ebtekar said.
"After the sanctions, we have to look for green technologies to manage air pollution, water pollution, waste management" and other environmental pollutants, she said. "We are looking forward to a lot of investment in green technologies."
To encourage sales of environmentally friendly cars, she indicated Iran may introduce subsidies for purchases of hybrid cars and create areas in major city centers where only allow eco-cars are allowed.