Addressing a conference on Saturday, the official said it is necessary for the industry that exporters join hands and cooperate with each other.

"Integration of petrochemical units across the country can guarantee Iran's becoming the region's petrochemical policymaker and benchmark," she said. 

Marziyeh Shahdaei, who is also deputy petroleum minister in petrochemical affairs, further said Iran has planned to process 72 million metric tons of petrochemicals by the end of the current calendar year to late March 2018, adding Iran's petrochemical output will cross 120mt/y by the end of the 6th five-year development plan to 2022. 

She also called on domestic petrochemical plants to exploit the opportunities created in the industry thanks to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark deal Iran struck with the P5+1 group of countries over its nuclear agenda in 2015.