Azerbaijan, Baku, May 18 / Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/
Talks about Iran's petrochemicals exports are rumors, Iran's deputy oil minister, Abdolhossein Bayat said, Mehr reported.
Reuters reported yesterday that Iranian petrochemical exports have plunged nearly 90 percent in the last two weeks as most maritime firms, including those in Iran, cannot find insurance to transport cargoes due to EU sanctions, referring to traders and shipping data.
Abdolhossein Bayat noted that it is just "noise" before the upcoming nuclear talks between Iran and the "5+1" group in Baghdad.
"In 2011 Iran exported petrochemical products for a total sum of $14,2 billion," Bayyat said, adding that country plans to sell even more this year.
OPEC's second-largest oil producer could be exporting more petrochemicals than what is evident from shipping data, as captains on some of Iran's ships have turned off the black box transponders that monitor vessel movements.
Bayat underscored that currently petrochemicals from Iran are being exported as usual.