AKIPRESS.COM - Iran's crude oil exports have hit 1.2 million barrels per day, almost doubling from eight months ago when the country elected a new president, SBS reported citing Mansour Moazami, top government official.
Moazami, who holds the planning brief among the Islamic republic's five deputy oil ministers, said on Friday the numbers were 20 percent above forecasts and they would rise further.
He said the updated figure of 1.2 million was supplemented by 200,000 barrels per day of derivative gas products from crude. “Our oil exports are now 20 percent higher than in the budget numbers, and we believe that in the current Iranian year they will increase further,” he added.
The rising oil exports come as Iran and world powers prepare for a fifth round of talks next month aimed at a long-term deal on curbing the country's disputed nuclear program.
Despite the higher numbers, Iran's oil exports remain heavily down on shipment levels before sanctions – the country was shipping 2.5 million barrels per day of crude abroad in late 2011.
China, India, South Korea and Japan are Iran's biggest oil export markets.