Keramat Veis-Karami told Shana that under a provision in the 1404 budget law, the Oil Ministry — through NIOPDC — is required to work with the Central Bank of Iran to enable the transfer of fuel quotas from fuel cards to bank cards owned by vehicle holders. The bylaw must be drafted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (the National Treasury), in cooperation with the Plan and Budget Organization and the Oil Ministry, and approved by the Cabinet within two months of the law taking effect.

He said NIOPDC has been pursuing the bylaw since the mandate was issued, holding multiple technical and managerial meetings with the PBO, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, and the government’s Economic Commission. During these meetings, NIOPDC submitted expert input and several draft versions of the bylaw were reviewed. After several sessions in both subcommittees and the main commission, a final version of the bylaw was prepared and scheduled to be sent to the Cabinet for approval.

Veis-Karami emphasized that the bylaw has not yet been approved or issued, adding that once the Cabinet approves and communicates it, NIOPDC will act according to its obligations under the directive. “This is a legal requirement and must be carried out. Whenever the bylaw is issued, we will fulfill our responsibilities,” he said.

He added that the hardware and software infrastructure of the smart fuel system needed for transferring quotas from fuel cards to bank cards has been assessed and prepared. In parallel with following the legal process, NIOPDC has completed the necessary updates to align the smart fuel system with the new requirements and is fully ready to implement the measure.