Iran Condoles Venezuela On Gas Explosion Tragedy

Tehran, Aug 27, IRNA – The Foreign Ministry in a message on Sunday expressed condoled with the Venezuelan government and nation over the tragic gas explosion at the country’s largest oil refinery "Amuay" early Saturday morning which killed and injured more than 100 people. The message addressed to the revolutionary and friendly Venezuelan government and people expressed sympathy with the families of the victims on behalf of the Iranian government and people. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast in the message expressed Iran's readiness to provide any assistance to the brotherly Venezuelan government. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared three days of mourning after the explosion and also ordered an investigation into the cause of the explosion in which 18 National Guard members were killed. The Amuay refinery and the adjacent Cardon refinery, both part of the Paraguana Refinery Complex, process about 900,000 barrels of crude oil and 200,000 barrels of gasoline per day in this South American country as the major supplier of oil in the region. The blast occurred after 1 a.m on Saturday when a gas leak created a cloud that later exploded, causing fires in at least two tanks of the refinery and surrounding areas. The blast wave was of a significant magnitude."/end