Report: Iran becomes self-sufficient in gasoline production

Iran has become self-sufficient in producing the amount of gasoline the country requires on a daily basis, the official IRNA news agency reported today.
President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated a new refinery that produces some 12 million litres (3.17 million gallons) of gasoline in its first phase, according to the report.
Iranians consume about 60 million litres (15.85 million gallons) of the fuel daily on average. The country already produces about 50 million litres (13.2 million gallons) and some 11 million litres (3 million gallons) had to be imported.
The report said the refinery in the port city of Bandar Abbas, some 1,205 kilometres south of Tehran, is capable of producing 36 million litres (9.5 million gallons) of gasoline per day after it is completed in 2018.

Rouhani said a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers contributed to reaching the operation stage of the project. The deal capped Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.
If the agreement hadn't been reached, Rouhani said, "this giant refining unit would never go online".

Rouhani answered the criticism by hardliners who say Iran gave too much in return for too little under the deal. He is running for re-election in the May 19 presidential election in which hardline rivals blame longstanding problems such as unemployment and recession on Rouhani's 4-year-old administration.
"Those who say we have not seen results from the deal, come to the refinery and see all the related equipment that has been imported into the country without any hassle," he said.

The refinery also daily produces 4.5 million litres (1.2 million gallons) of diesel fuel, 1.3 million litres (340 thousand gallons) of liquid petroleum gas and one million litres (264 thousand gallons) of kerosene.