Tehran – The Middle East’s largest olive production complex is on the verge of becoming operational in Iran, according to the Chairman of the National Olive Council of Iran.

 

Mehdi Abbasi said Iran is currently the world’s 13th-largest olive producer, adding that olives grown in Zanjan Province have been officially registered with the International Olive Council (IOC) under the designation “Iranian Tasty Olive.”

 

“Nearly 50 percent of the country’s olive production is concentrated in Zanjan Province, particularly in Tarom County,” he said. “The region’s distinctive climate, which shares characteristics with the Mediterranean, provides ideal conditions for the cultivation of premium-quality olives.”

 

He noted that a substantial portion of the olive products and raw materials used by Iran’s leading food-processing companies is sourced from Zanjan’s orchards, underscoring the province’s strategic role in the national agricultural economy.

 

Highlighting export opportunities, Abbasi said Iran enjoys a competitive advantage due to its lower olive production costs compared with many European producers, while maintaining high product quality. As a result, Iranian extra virgin olive oil, particularly that produced in Zanjan, has strong potential to expand its presence in international markets.

 

Abbasi also pointed to Zeytoon Parvardeh, a traditional Iranian olive delicacy, as one of the country’s most distinctive value-added products. Widely produced in Zanjan, the product has few equivalents globally and could serve as a unique competitive asset in export markets, he said.

 

The development of the new olive complex is expected to further strengthen Iran’s olive industry, enhance processing capacity, and support the country’s ambitions to increase its share of regional and international markets.