The Iranian government has set forth a plan to collect emergency cards from gas stations with the aim of better managing gasoline consumption and preventing the smuggling of this product. This plan, which has begun in the first phase in 11 provinces, seeks to enhance transparency and provide more precise control over vehicle refueling.
Details of the Plan and Involved Provinces
The emergency cards from gas stations, which were used to facilitate public access to gasoline, are now being collected due to a lack of transparency in identifying the consumers' identities. According to the announced program, the provinces of Hormozgan, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, South Khorasan, North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, Ardabil, Yazd, Kurdistan, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchestan will be included in this plan. In this mechanism, 50 liters of gasoline at the third rate will be charged to personal fuel cards so that individuals whose previous quotas have expired can refuel easily.
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Creating a New Mechanism for Monitoring Refueling
Keramat Veys-Kermani, the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, emphasized the importance of maintaining service quality in implementing this plan and stated that necessary measures must be taken to provide services to fuel requesters, especially travelers and passing vehicles. In this context, Reza Sepahvand, spokesperson for the Energy Commission of the Parliament, announced that a system has been devised to monitor the amount and frequency of refueling for each vehicle based on the national ID or bank card. This action could be effective in controlling excessive consumption and preventing fuel smuggling.
According to Sepahvand, fuel smuggling is not limited to border areas, and instances of it have also been identified in Tehran. He added that the price difference between gasoline inside the country and neighboring countries is one of the factors contributing to violations, and this plan could help identify and control these issues.
Despite the positive goals of this plan, there are concerns among the public regarding how to refuel after their quota has expired or in situations where their personal card is not available. Sepahvand stated that the issue of access to emergency cards is under review, and in some cities, emergency cards have been retained for high-traffic gas stations.
Ultimately, the implementation of this plan occurs while, according to announced statistics, the growth rate of gasoline consumption has halted in the first seven months of the year 1405. This indicates the impact of government actions in managing consumption and preventing fuel smuggling.
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