Hamid Bovard made the remarks Tuesday during a meeting with managers of the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, or NIOPDC. He praised the efforts of the company’s employees and managers and urged a more scientific, strategic and integrated approach to challenges facing the oil industry, particularly the refining and distribution sector.

Bovard, who cited 35 years of experience in the oil industry, said management meetings should present information in a consolidated form to facilitate accurate decisions and provide a broader view of major challenges.

He warned that in large organizations, daily operations and numerous challenges can obscure strategic issues. Taking an outside and broader perspective, he said, can help identify problems more accurately and develop appropriate solutions.

On gas and fuel, Bovard said decisions should be based on Iran’s domestic capabilities rather than allowing others to shape the country’s policies.

“Since a significant portion of the resources needed by the country are supplied domestically, we should develop our own plans and strategies based on a precise understanding of conditions,” he said.

Bovard also described fuel consumption management, particularly gasoline and diesel, as a major national issue. He said important measures had been taken concerning the fuel-card system but stressed the need to protect fuel-related systems against cyberattacks and ensure their security and reliability.

He called for greater use of universities and scientific institutions to provide specialized training and develop young personnel, saying younger employees should be placed on effective career paths early in their service.

Bovard also highlighted major oil and petroleum-product transportation corridors, saying greater attention to these routes could strengthen the industry’s infrastructure.

NIOPDC Managing Director Mohammad-Sadegh Azimifar said the company had pursued four priorities amid war, sanctions and financial constraints: balancing supply and demand, developing the value chain, strengthening human resources and adopting data-driven governance.

He said average gasoline production had increased 17%, while four quality-improvement projects had come onstream, adding about 3% to overall product output.

Azimifar said annual gasoline consumption growth, previously about 6%, had been reduced to nearly zero through management measures and turned negative in September. Diesel consumption also declined 2% to 3% this year.

He identified compressed natural gas as an important tool for managing fuel demand, saying CNG consumption rose about 12% after the introduction of the third gasoline price tier.

Azimifar said nearly 1,000 kilometers of pipelines had been added to Iran’s network over the past two years. He added that land-based diesel exports had risen from $49 million last year to about $220 million during the first six months of this year, with the potential to reach $200 million per month under a new management plan.

He said the broader objective was to control consumption, increase production, strengthen fuel reserves and further reduce Iran’s dependence on gasoline imports.