Floods cut oil output

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 9

Floods cut oil output

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Recent floods have reduced the amount of oil being refined in Iran and no refined products will be distributed in the country for two days, the Oil Ministrysaid at the week-end. In a statement broadcast on the State radio, the Ministry said the ban was to replenish stocks and it urged Iranians to use less oil products.

The statement said water leaking into a pipe had reduced the production of the Abadan refinery to about 60 per cent of capacity, but it gave no figures.

The Ministry said most damage to pipelines caused by the floods, which killed about 250 people and made thousands homeless, had been repaired. The official news agencysaid yesterday -that four people had been executed in the south-western city of Ahwaz for bombing oil pipelines. The revolutionary court that sentenced the four to death accused “imperialist elements” of blowing up pipelines in order -to hinder Iran’s development.