CEO Mohammad-Sadeq Azimifar reported that due to measures taken over the past year, reserves of mazut for power plants and gasoline are now at favorable levels. He made the remarks at the inauguration ceremony for the quality improvement project of the Isfahan refinery's kerosene unit.

Azimifar, who is also a deputy oil minister, addressed challenges related to water scarcity. He noted that some refineries' dependence on water sources like the Zayandehrud river, which has seen declining flow in recent years, has made water transfer projects essential. He said effective measures have been taken in cooperation with relevant agencies and the support of the Isfahan provincial government.

The rapid progress of a water transfer project, he added, is a symbol of collective work and national consensus, serving as a valuable example of economic sectors working together to sustain production and reduce water stress.

Azimifar warned that water challenges are not limited to Isfahan, noting that the Tehran refinery also faced a water crisis this summer. He said halting any refinery's operations could create a supply chain crisis, as a shortage of vital products like gasoline and diesel would seriously disrupt not only transportation but also power plants and electricity generation.

He highlighted the recent commissioning of a wastewater treatment project at the Tehran refinery, which reduced the plant's consumption of potable water by 1.5% and significantly lowered its production disruption risk.

The refining industry, Azimifar said, must simultaneously focus on two key pillars: increasing production and managing consumption. Overcoming imbalances in petroleum products, he stressed, depends on activating both areas at once. Success in this path requires reforming governance, improving the industry's financial relations, developing transfer and storage infrastructure, and utilizing domestic capacity and knowledge-based companies.

The deputy minister also pointed to the recent inauguration of several major projects, including an isomerization unit at the Shiraz refinery and a Euro-standard gas oil production unit at the Abadan refinery. He reported progress on important projects at the Persian Gulf Mehr Refinery and the Isfahan refinery, which are expected to soon become operational.

Furthermore, a $720 million project for transferring crude oil and products was inaugurated last week by order of the president, as part of broader development plans in this sector.

Azimifar concluded that these achievements demonstrate that resolving energy sector imbalances is not only possible but can be achieved through collective determination and synergy among all sectors. He extended gratitude to parliament members, provincial governors, managers, engineers, workers and contractors, emphasizing that the development of the refining industry is not the achievement of a single administration or manager, but the result of a chain of efforts and cooperation over many years.