Page 46 - IRANRptNov19

injection engines are subject to a limit of 0.0045 g/km for Euro-5 and Euro-6, in line with EU rules enacted in Iran.
According to the refinery’s website, its CEO, Mohammad Ali Akhbari, made the announcement of the plant upgrade during a tour by local MPs to the site this week.
“Tapping the refinery’s potentialities and the capacity of domestic industrialists had led to self-sufficiency in the refinery in technical and engineering sectors,” he said.
Iran has been producing all of its locally consumed gasoline and diesel since 2018, with other complexes including the Persian Gulf Star Refinery on the Persian Gulf now the major producer gasoline. In May it was reported the refinery had reached ​400,000 barrels per day, and that another 140,000 bpd would be added by April 2020.
The Islamic Republic was spurred into action from 2013, when the previous round of US sanctions forced the country to produce gasoline quickly. Before then Iran actually imported most of its gasoline and diesel.
Cities including Tehran and Karaj annually suffer from the so-called ‘Inversion Effect’ which sees pollution linger low to the ground due to the cold air. In recent years since the introduction of Euro-5 fuel pollution levels across have reduced from their peak in 2013.
9.1.2 ​Automotive sector news
Iranian auto components makers lobby for rules relaxation
Saeed Bastani, a member of Iran’s parliamentary commission on industries, mining and trade, has disclosed that the government plans to sell its stakes in automakers Iran Khodro (IKCO) and SAIPA, according to Iran Student News Agency.
The Rouhani administration announced at the beginning of its second term in 2017 that the government intended to sell off its 14% stake in largest Iranian automaker Iran Khodro and its 17% stake in the second largest, SAIPA. Since then both companies have been severely impacted by the heavy sanctions introduced against Iran by the US last year—foreign partners including PSA Group’s Peugeot and Citroen pulled out of Iran fearing secondary sanctions from Washington should they stay.
Bastani reportedly said: “Earlier last week, the government's economic commission decided to sell all government shares in car companies and some other state-owned corporations.”
Once the stake sales were completed, “the country’s automotive sector will be on the verge of a major transformation”, he added.
The path to full privatisation will take at least a year, but the reported clearance given by the important commission is a significant step forwards.
IKCO and​ ​SAIPA have been a drag on the government’s coffers​ ​since they were taken into state ownership following the 1979 revolution. A lack of investment and a reliance on foreign partners have left the companies producing cars designed in the 1980s, including the Kia Pride and Peugeot 405.
Bastani added that ministries were also gearing up to sell their stakes in six other companies including major Tehran football teams Persepolis and Esteghlal–the two biggest teams in Iran.
Iranian auto components makers are lobbying the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade to ease rules to help their sector, according to Mehr News Agency. ​Secretary of the Iranian Auto Part Manufacturers Association, Arash Mohebinejad, reportedly said member companies have four major
46​ IRAN Country Report​ November 2019 www.intellinews.com