TEHRAN, Iran, March 12
Trend:
A 50-percent drop in fuel consumption in Iran due to the coronavirus spread is making it impossible for the gas station owners to meet their costs and pay the workers, said the member of Iran Petrol Station Owners Association Ebrahim Bejaji said, Trend reports via ILNA.
Referring to recent directive of the National Petroleum Products Distribution Company on refueling, Bejaji pointed to lack of manpower at the stations.
The National Petroleum Products Distribution Company issued a statement in recent days saying that "fueling should be done by staff at fuel stations throughout the country.”
"Following the Ministry of Health's announcement on cooperation in preventing the spread of coronavirus, it is imperative that the refueling and fueling process be performed at all fuel stations by station staff,” the company said in a statement.
Ebrahim Bejaji said that the refueling process by the operators of the stations made the new recruitment necessary.
He believes that in the current situation, adding new staff is impossible.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 10,000 people have been infected, 429 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 3,200 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
Following the reports of coronavirus spread in the Islamic Republic, several countries have taken measures, including closing borders and banning flights.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.