WANA (Oct 05) – Iranian engineers have successfully designed and produced a key industrial component whose absence could lead to gas supply disruptions in parts of the country. The new product, which ensures the safe and reliable delivery of energy, has now replaced foreign-made versions with a more affordable and higher-quality domestic alternative.

 

In many of Iran’s vital industries — from power plants to gas compressor stations — the smooth operation of small but essential components determines the continuity of production and helps prevent crises such as gas outages. For years, these parts were imported from foreign brands, leaving critical infrastructure vulnerable to disruptions amid sanctions, high costs, and the lack of after-sales support.

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Now, an Iranian technology company has broken that dependency by indigenously designing and manufacturing the component for the first time. The product was unveiled during the 23rd Annual Pardis Technology Park Summit at Iran’s International Innovation Zone.

 

Saeed Shafiei, CEO of the company, said his team has developed an intelligent electro-pneumatic positioner — a control device vital to industrial automation systems. “This equipment plays a crucial role in all major industries by regulating process actuators,” he explained, adding that domestic production of such technology is strategically important both for sanctions resilience and national defense readiness.

Key Component Developed to Prevent Gas Outages in Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Key Component Developed to Prevent Gas Outages in Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Citing examples, Shafiei noted that in gas compressor stations, which push natural gas through pipelines nationwide, control valves are operated by positioners. “A malfunctioning positioner can disrupt an entire station’s operation and even lead to gas outages,” he said. “In power plants, these same devices control the fuel flow to turbines, directly impacting electricity generation.”

 

He acknowledged that entering this competitive market was a major challenge: “For decades, European and American brands dominated our industries, and our technical standards were aligned with theirs. Developing a domestic product that meets those benchmarks was not easy — but wherever our positioners have been installed, industries such as power, oil and gas, and mining have reported full satisfaction.”

 

Shafiei said the company currently meets less than 1% of domestic demand, but plans to scale up production as the technology is fully localized. “Iran imports about $27 million worth of these devices annually. With our growing capacity, we hope to significantly reduce that figure,” he said.

 

The CEO added that their product is four times cheaper than imported alternatives, yet incorporates cutting-edge global technology and comes with full after-sales support, which foreign suppliers had stopped providing under sanctions.

 

“Our intelligent positioners have already been commercialized and are now being used across various industries — including power generation, steel, mining, food processing, and oil and gas,” Shafiei concluded. “We are proud to be the first Iranian company to manufacture this critical industrial device.”