IRAN: AHMADINEJAD DECIDES TO IMPORT FUEL AFTER ALL

Tehran, 30 August (AKI) - The Iranian government has announced that fuel imports this year will increase by 42 percent compared to 2005 despite earlier statements by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Tehran would not import by-products of oil in the second semester of the Iranian year, which starts on 21 March. Though Iran is the world's fourth largest oil exporter, it imports almost half of the country's fuel needs. The refinery of Abadan in the south-east has not been re-built since it was destroyed in 1980 during the war with Iraq. It was at the time the world's largest oil refinery.

Iran imports approximately 40 per cent of the 73 million litres consumed on average every day by drivers.

(Rah/Aki)