Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The chairman of Iran’s union of oil products exporters has acknowledged that the Taliban has discontinued its purchase of gasoline from Iran due to concerns regarding product quality.
In an interview with Iranian news platform Fararu on Monday, Hamid Hosseini revealed that both Iraq and Afghanistan have shifted their gasoline imports to Uzbekistan and Russia, citing their provision of superior quality fuel. In January, the Taliban’s National Standards Authority declared that it had returned 26 fuel tankers to Iran due to quality issues.
According to a report by PetroView, an Iranian oil and gas consultancy and research platform, Iran’s primary exports to Afghanistan consist of gasoline and gasoil. Between May 2020 and May 2021, Iran successfully exported approximately 400,000 tons of fuel to Afghanistan. “The decision by the Taliban to return the gasoline is attributed to the higher quality of products originating from Uzbekistan and Russia. These countries, including Afghanistan, now exclusively accept products of exceptional quality,” explained Hosseini. Numerous petrochemical companies and refineries, engaged in the production of pyrolysis gasoline, have been exporting their goods to neighboring nations, including Afghanistan, for an extended period. However, the unprocessed form of this product is unsuitable as fuel and necessitates modification through a specialized procedure before it can be utilized in vehicles. In April, Afghan authorities revealed the existence of eight ongoing projects aimed at enhancing the standardization process within the country.
