Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Alireza Zeighami dismisses reports by Western news agencies that the country is importing gasoline.
“Since [the start of] the current year (starting March 21, 2011) until now, no gasoline has been bought by Iran from international companies,” he was quoted by Mehr News Agency on Wednesday as saying.
He added that about 50 million liters of naphtha is produced in the country’s refineries on a daily basis.
Western news agencies, including Reuters, have alleged that Iran imports four to five sizeable consignments of gasoline each month mostly from Chinese refineries. Reuters claims this fuel is exchanged with Iranian oil.
“Iran exchanges no oil with foreign companies to purchase gasoline,” Zeighami asserted.
