Iran’s weekly gasoline consumption drops by 200,000 liters

TEHRAN,April 23(MNA) - Gasoline consumption in Iran averaged 57.7 million liters per day during last week of the first calendar month of Farvardin (April 14-20), showing 200,000 liters decrease compared with its preceding week, the Shana news agency reported. Diesel oil consumption was increased by 6.3 percent week on week, to reach 102 million liters per day. Iran’s gasoline consumption is falling rapidly thanks to higher prices and compressed natural gas (CNG) use, according to the Iranian oil ministry, helping soften the blow of Western sanctions that ban fuel sales to the Islamic Republic. Western governments have blocked gasoline supplies to Iran over the last few years to pressure Tehran over its disputed nuclear program. But Iran has succeeded in significantly reducing its reliance on gasoline by tapping the world’s second largest natural gas reserves to make CNG and slashing subsidies to discourage gasoline use. Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company Alireza Zeighami has said Iran’s gasoline production will rise in the current year by 18 million liters, or about 118,000 barrels, per day.