MNA � President Rouhani welcomed participation of major Iranian investors who are living outside the country in various development projects in Hormozgan province.

Speaking at the meeting of the administrative council of Hormozgan province in Bandar Abbas on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani said that he has recently issued orders for the development of Hormozgan's 14 islands, which he called "a great potential" for the southern province.

He also called on major Iranian investors who are living outside the country to participate in various development projects in Hormozgan province, advising against any "strictness" toward the investors.

The president deemed "empathy" and "unity" the factors contributing to the further success and dignity of the country, adding �all politicians and factions must join hands and work together for Iran�s prosperity and progress."

The president considered security, unity and integrity as the underlying foundations for progress and development, and underscored the necessity of combating smuggling.

He went on to add, "it is within the responsibility of the police to fight smuggling, but recently in the Supreme National Security Council, we stated that in the Persian Gulf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should have the responsibility to fight smuggling, and certainly with this decision, the conditions in the fight against smuggling will be better than the past.�

The president maintained that there are over $200 billion potential for investment in oil, gas and petrochemicals, adding "there is a prospect for $30 billion investment and foreign finance ahead of our country�s progress.�

"The completion of projects in the oil and gas sector require a lot of investment, and the country's domestic facilities are limited," said the president, emphasizing that the country needs a lot of capital for its further development and prosperity.

Saying that "we ask God to make year 1397 the year of liveliness and hope for the entire Iranian nation", President said: "We hope that the Qazvin-Rasht railway starts operation early next year".

He noted that once the Qazvin-Rasht railway and then Rasht-Astara railway become operational, Iran would be able to transit all Indian cargos to Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

"Hormozgan, given its high security, significant development capacities, and a high level of solidarity between the authorities and the people, and in particular the Shia-Sunni unity, has a great potential for development,� he concluded.