Tehran, June 21, IRNA � Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said Iran experienced a growth of 6.8 percent in its industry sector last year (ended March 20, 2015).

Talking in a TV hard talk program Saturday night, the minister said mines and trade sectors too had a similar growing trend, showing an increase of 9.8 and 3.7, respectively.

He said the growing rate is due to the country�s focusing on the resistance economy policies which were insisted upon by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The minister noted that employment rate fell drastically by 36 percent during the period.

According to the minister, the government mainly followed a policy of lowering inflation rate in the country by removing obstacles on production activities.

He also said that the government is focusing on policies to overcome recession.

On the impact of sanctions on the Iranian industries, he said they certainly failed to paralyze Iran�s industries but certainly affected them by restricting their activities and access to resources.

Nematzadeh further said the volume of Iran�s non-oil exports rose to dlrs 50 billion last year showing an increase of 19 percent.

By IRNA