Iran to increase gasoline production - official
"Within the next six months, gasoline production projects will
be launched at Lavan, Tabriz, and Isfahan refineries, and in this
way, six million liters will be added to the current capacity of
the gasoline output of the country," the Iranian official said.
Zeighami, who is also the managing director of National Iranian Oil
Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), further said that the
country's refining projects are not facing a shortage of
investments.
"The megaproject of the gas condensate refinery of the Persian Gulf Star has attracted good financial resources... Other parties that have a share in providing the resources of this project are needed to put forward their equities," the Iranian official added.
Zeighami also said that NIORDC had asked the parliament to raise
the level of the company's credits, earmarked for expanding
investments in the refining sector.
Iran attained self-sufficiency in fuel production after its
international suppliers stopped selling gasoline to Tehran under US
pressure.
At the beginning of 2012, the United States and the European Union
imposed new sanctions on Iran's oil and financial sectors.
The sanctions, which prevent the EU member states from purchasing
Iran's oil or extending insurance coverage for tankers carrying
Iranian crude, came into effect on July 1, 2012.
The illegal US-engineered sanctions were imposed based on the
unfounded accusation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives
in its nuclear energy program.
Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory
to Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear
technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's
nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that
Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear
weapons production.