Iran to open biggest oil refinery in ME

Shazand Oil Refinery (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/162338.html

The biggest oil refinery in the Middle East will be inaugurated in Iran on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, reports say.

Two projects with an estimated investment of $ 3.5 billion at the Shazand Oil Refinery in the central Iranian city of Arak the will be officially inaugurated by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the 10-day celebrations commemorating the anniversary of the Islam Revolution Victory (30 Jan -11Feb), Mehr news agency reported on Thursday.

The new development plans at the oil refinery, which will increase the oil production capacity of the country to more than 17 million liters per day, are focused on reduction of sulfur and other pollutants in order to get Euro-5 standard in production of petrol for cars.

The Euro-5 is one of the European emission standards which define the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of automobiles. The emission standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards.

Another significant plan is the production of the Propene, also known as Propylene, which is a waste product created when crude oil is refined into gasoline, diesel fuel and other products.

In December, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company Managing Director Farid Ameri said that Iran will increase its fuel storage capacity by 5 billion barrels to reach over 16.7 billion liters.

The current storage capacity of oil products in the country is around 11.5 billion liters, but it will reach 16.7 billion liters by the end of the Fifth Five Year Development Plan (2010-2015), he added.

'Russia remarks will come at own expense'

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=129374§ionid=351020101



A senior Iranian official says recent claims made by Russia President Dmitry Medvedev regarding Tehran's uranium enrichment are "implausible".

"It is hard to believe that the Russian President actually made such comments and has adopted such a stance against Iran," said lawmaker Mohammad-Reza Mirtajeddini, Vice-President for Parliamentary Affairs, on Monday.

Mirtajeddini, who was speaking in an exclusive interview with Mehr News Agency, added that Russia will soon realize that its cynical approach towards Iran's nuclear issue will come at the Kremlin's own expense.

"Russia's decision to follow in the footsteps of the Americans is going to cost them as it will undoubtedly give rise to global condemnation," he continued.

Mirtahjeddini made the comments a day after Medvedev described Iran as "irresponsible" and urged the country to pay heed to what he called world demands over its uranium enrichment activities.

"The situation is this: An agreement on sanctions exists," the Russian president had said following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. "We hope that the voice of the international community is heard by the Iranian leadership."

"Such expressions of irresponsible behavior cannot be continued. What is said internationally needs to be listened to. Only this way can the most complex tasks be solved," he said.

A longtime trade partner, Russia has traditionally opposed the adoption of fresh sanctions on Iran, but in recent months, the Kremlin has joined in on US calls for an end to Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran warns Russia over nuclear stance

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=127898§ionid=351020101



Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned that Russia's stance against the Tehran declaration could turn it into an "enemy" of the Iranian nation.

"Russian leaders should not create a situation that makes Iranian people place Russia in the ranks of their historic enemies," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Kerman on Wednesday.

His comments came in response to Russia's decision to back a US-proposed UN Security Council resolution against Iran.

"Today, it has become difficult for us to explain [Russian President Dmitry] Medvedev's behavior to the Iranian nation. The [Iranian] people don't know whether they [Russian officials] are our friends or are after something else," the Fars news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

"If I were the Russian president, when taking decisions on subjects related to the great Iranian nation, I would think things through more," he said.

The Iranian president also warned the US to be careful not to miss the opportunity offered by the Tehran nuclear swap declaration.

Ahmadinejad said the declaration brokered by Turkey and Brazil could be the last chance to get things right.

According to the declaration, signed by Iran, Turkey, and Brazil on May 17, Tehran would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.

Russia: Bushehr plant due in August

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=127086§ionid=351020104


Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, which is being built by Russia, is scheduled to begin operating in August regardless of any new sanctions against Tehran.

"We are counting on the nuclear power station launching in August, if everything goes as planned," Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia's federal atomic energy agency, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

The remarks come two days after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Group of Six world powers, which includes Russia, had reached an agreement on a "strong draft resolution" for new sanctions against Iran.

Kiriyenko further said, "The resolution now being prepared on Iran will not in any way affect this."

The P5+1 comprises of the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- plus Germany.

The draft resolution came only a day after Iran announced it had reached an agreement with Turkey to send 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for 120 kg of higher-enriched uranium it requires for producing medical isotopes in Tehran's Research Reactor.

The shipping of Iran's low-enriched uranium to a foreign country was the US and its Western allies' main demand in talks with Tehran on nuclear fuel swap.

In 1995, Russia signed an agreement with Iran to build the plant. Under the deal, the plant was originally scheduled to become operational by 1999 but the completion of the $1 billion project has been frequently delayed.