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Iran to distribute Euro-4 gasoline in six cities till September

Business Materials 28 February 2015 17:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 28

By Umid Niayesh - Trend:

Iran will start distributing gasoline conforming to Euro-4 standard in Ahvaz and Shiraz cities, by April, Nasser Sajjadi, managing director of National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company said.

Sajjadi said that once the third phase of Abadan refinery located in southwest of the country comes on stream, Ahvaz and Shiraz will receive Euro-4 gasoline.

He said that Iran currently distributes Euro-4 gasoline in six cities, including Tehran, Tabriz, Arak, Isfahan, Karaj and Mashhad as a step for safeguarding the environment, the Oil Ministry's official SHANA news agency reported Feb. 8.

It was earlier announced that the country will start distributing Euro-4 gasoline in oil-rich Ahvaz city located in the southern Khuzestan province by February.

Sajjadi further said that Iran also will start Euro-4 gasoline distribution in four other cities, including Bandar Abbas, Kerman, Yazd and Zahedan by September.

Once the Bandar Abbas refinery's gasoline production unit comes on stream, it will supply Euro-4 gasoline to the aforementioned cities, Sajjadi said.

Iran's average gasoline consumption stands at about 70 million liters per day.

The country's gasoline output is currently around 62 million liters, so it needs to import the rest.

The country only imports gasoline conforming to Euro-4 standard, as importing Euro-2 gasoline has been banned.

Iran used to import 40 percent of its needed gasoline by 2009. But the international sanctions forced it to produce gasoline domestically through adding lead or some poisonous chemical catalysts such as MTBE to the product. MTBE is a highly poisonous substance which causes cancer. It is banned worldwide to be used for gasoline production.

The administration of President Hassan Rouhani ordered to stop the distribution of substandard gasoline. Rouhani has said that the situation has improved in large cities which are being supplied with Euro-4 gasoline.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh

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