Russian Radio: Iran, Major Benzene Exporter Today

Moscow, May 1, IRNA – The State-run Voice of Russia radio announced Monday that Iran, which used to import benzene till a while ago, has over the past 2 years been one of the major exporters of this fuel following western sanctions of the product. According to the IRNA Audio Lingual Service, the VOR radio report added, “Iran exported 123,000 metric tons of benzene, worth some 134 million US dollars in the year 2011, which was twice its exports of that fuel in the year 2010.” The VOR report added, “Afghanistan was the top importer of Iran’s fuel in 2011, importing gas worth 51.6 million US dollars.” According to the report, Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Oman are the other major importers of the Iranian benzene. Iran started exporting gas in September 2010, while up to then the Islamic Republic of Iran was merely one of the major exporter of crude oil in the world, and not only was not a gas exporter, but an importer of that fuel. The western countries’ benzene exports to Iran were at higher prices than that fuel’s price at international markets according to the VOR. Iran's gas condensate exports from Assalouyeh surpasses $9 billion./end