Iran Should Raise Oil Products' Exports: Rafsanjani
Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani says oil products' exports should be increased.
Addressing a group of top sailors in Kharg Island, Ayatllah Rafsanjani said conditions should be prepared for distancing from crude sale and selling oil products instead.
He said, "What observed in Kharg Island proved development and progress. I have paid many visits to Kharg Island but this time was dramatically different with the former ones; today, Kharg Island is alive and refreshed. Never before or after the revolution, I have seen oil reserves as it is today. We are much happy that oil exports are this amount. Conditions should be prepared to distance ourselves from crude sale and move towards exports and sale of oil products."
He noted that many entrepreneurs and Iranians residing abroad are interested and ready to invest in the Islamic Iran. "Iran is getting globalized."
Ayatollah Rafsanjani said Iran's general policy prior to the 9th government was movement towards minus crude oil sale economy and export of oil products but within eight years of tenure of the 9th and 10th administrations, the conditions were so that mandated the country to export crude oil for a period.
Elsewhere in his address, Ayatollah Rafsanjani said for the time being, 600,000 tons of methanol is being produced in Kharg island and necessary conditions to hit the target of 2.5-fold increase are prepared.
He said for the time being, there are many flares burning in Kharg Island and necessary investment is needed to turn the gas into methanol.