Azernews.Az

Iran's average gasoline consumption stood at 64 million liters per day in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20, deputy manager of National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) Naser Sajjadi said.

The amount shows a 5.7 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year, the IRNA news agency reported.

Sajjadi also said that considering the official reference rate of 12,260 rials to the US dollar, the real price of gasoline in Iran is 10,000 rials (about 82 U.S. cents).

Sajjadi had said that Iran's gasoline consumption increases by 5 percent each year.

Currently, gasoline is sold at two prices: a 60-liter monthly allowance at 4,000 rials (33 cents) per liter, and any amount above that at 7,000 rials (57 cents) per liter.

Mesbahi Moghaddam, who is the chairman of the Majlis Economic Reform Committee, told the Mehr news agency that since the subsidy reform plan must be implemented over a five-year period, 10,000 rials per liter is the best price for gasoline, which is now sold at 7,000 rials per liter. He also suggested that the monthly allowance price of 4000 rials per liter be increased to 7000 rials per liter.

Last year the International Monetary Fund commended the Iranian government for the subsidy reform policy, which it said had led to a reduction in fuel consumption.