Azerbaijan, Baku, July 25/ Trend M. Moezzi
The head of Isfahan Refinery's public relations criticised the municipality and the city council's move to block renovations at the complex, saying their "obstruction" of the project was an injustice to Isfahanis and all Iranians.
Mohammad Sadeq Hajiian said the Isfahan Refinery produces 23 per cent of Iran's petroleum products, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports.
Work on updating the refinery began in 2008 and is 18 per cent finished, said Mr. Hajian who added that Isfahan's city managers are mistaken in calling the project an "expansion" when it is just improving the production process.
After being renovated, the refinery wouldl be able to produce 2.5 times more of its primary products with petrol production going from 9.5 million to 20 million litres a day and aviation fuel increasing from 2.5 million litres a day to six million litres, said the PR director.
Mr. Hajian said the refinery has been certified by the Directorate of Environmental Protection to be pollution free, and when renovated, it can process oil into high grade petrol without any environmental pollution and export it at high prices.
At a city council meeting last Tuesday, the head of the council announced its opposition to the plans for the refinery and said the project violated a law mandating that industrial construction and development has to be 50 kilometres outside the city. Work on the refinery has moved ahead despite city managers' opposition and the laws that prohibit it.