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Iran losing $4 bn a year to fuel smuggling: Report

Iran is losing an estimated $4 billion a year to smuggling of gasoline and diesel.

Extensive fuel smuggling across Iranian borders is leading to an estimated loss of $4 billion per year for the country, according to findings of a report in the local media.

The Sunday report by Fars news agency cited figures from Iranian Oil Ministry’s fuel department showing that smuggling of diesel fuel from Iran had reached over 10 million liters per day.

The figures showed that some five million liters per day of gasoline distributed to motorists in Iran end up in the hands of fuel smugglers operating at southeastern and southern borders of Iran.   

“Based on estimates by specialist government departments it seems that the combined amount of smuggling of gasoline and diesel from the country could amount to at least 15 million liters per day which is equal to an annual loss of $4 billion,” said the report.

It said that Iran’s seizures of smuggled gasoline and diesel fuel rose by 250% and 69%, respectively, in the calendar year to late March, compared to the previous year, to reach over 52 million liters combined.

However, it said that extremely cheap prices of gasoline and diesel have lured many people living in Iranian border provinces into the business of fuel smuggling.

The report said that diesel fuel delivered to Iranian power plants for electricity generation currently account for nearly a third of total fuel smuggling from the country.


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