Mohammadreza Aref made the comments on Sunday evening during a meeting to review the performance and strategic plans for the development of the country’s refining and distribution industry, attended by several officials in the field as well as representatives from refineries.

He praised the efforts of managers and workers in this sector, describing their works as significant and added that the oil industry is a driving force for the nation, along with the upstream sectors like refineries, which are considered strategic industries.

The first vice president further noted that, under current circumstances, priority should be given to expanding existing refineries and completing incomplete projects rather than starting new ones.

Addressing refinery managers, Aref urged them to step forward with motivation and exploit high-tech technologies, as well as the potential and talent of young Iranian experts.

He recalled that in the past, top high school graduates often prioritized studying at Petroleum University of Technology among their top three choices, stating, “Today, we need to create the same environment again so that talented graduates to actively get engaged in this industry.”

Aref assured that the government would offer full cooperation in addressing customs issues related to the equipment and modernization of refineries.

However, he emphasized that environmental issues and related permits must be handled in a way that does not harm the environment.

He reiterated the need to prioritize incomplete and developmental projects when expanding refinery capacity and mentioned that increasing productivity—set by law to grow by 2.8 percent across targetted eight units—can be achieved through modern and high-tech technologies, stating, “You should head in that direction.”

The VP expressed concern that some priorities in this industry have not been correctly identified, pointing out that several decades ago, the cost of desulfurization in refineries was significantly lower, but resistance to this change has led to substantially higher costs today.

Aref also addressed the energy shortage, stating it has heavily impacted the industry and highlighting that various sectors are interconnected like a chain, where damage to one link affects others.

He emphasized the need for structural reforms in the oil refining sector, stating that not only would such reforms free the country from reliance on imports, but they would also create opportunities for exports.

Aref also underscored the importance of land-use planning, asserting that refinery development must be based on such planning, as the Seventh Development Plan is also aligned with these territorial considerations.