Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan prov, May 27, IRNA-First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref arrived in the provincial capital of Mashhad in northeastern Iran on Friday to attend the inaugural ceremony of the first phase of the provincial Iran Khodro Auto Manufacturing Plant in the new town of Binaloud.

ISNA

Upon arrival at Mashhad's International Shahid Hasheminejad Airport, Aref was welcomed by the MPs from Mashhad and Fariman, the provincial governor general and a number of local officials.

ISNA

During his two-day visit, the first vice president is accompanied by the Minister of Industries and Mines Es'haq Jahangiri and a number of the officials in charge of Iran Khodro Industrial Group.

In addition to Iran Khodro, Aref is scheduled to inaugurate four other industrial units in the industrial townships of Fariman, Gonabad and Ferdows.

ISNA

The provincial Iran Khodro Plant was put into operation experimentally in March and 120 automobiles have already been manufactured there.

The plant is situated in the new Binaloud town 55 kms to the southwest of Mashhad along Mashhad-Neishabour-Tehran route.