September 3, 2021
For the first time ever, Iran imported no refined oil products last year, according to data from the Central Bank.
The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) imported $2.7 billion worth of petroleum products, including gasoline and diesel, in 2017. But as local refineries boosted output, the imports dropped toi zero in 2020.
Data published by the Central Bank of Iran indicate that in 2018 the NIOC cut oil product imports in half to $1.3 billion. And, in 2019, imports were down to a token $6 million.
The NIOC imported 30 million liters of gasoline per day in 2006 to meet domestic demand that was around 55 ml/d at the time. Republicans in the US Congress then began talking about blocking Iranian gasoline imports to cripple the economy.
The Islamic Republic then outlined a huge refinery expansion program that was intended to make Iran self-sufficient in oil products by 2011. Lack of funds slowed the program, which finally reached its goal in 2019, and Iran began exporting gasoline in 2020.
Domestic refineries produced 120 million liters of gasoline on a daily basis in 2020, whereas demand was 100 ml/d and the surplus was exported to neighboring states Iraq (mostly the Iraqi Kurdistan Region) and Afghanistan.
According to Mehdi Mirasharfi, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, in the first five months of 2020, gasoline export revenue was more than $1 billion, making gasoline one of Iran’s major exports.
