TEHRAN May 26(Shana)--Iran’s household sector pays just one-fifth of the prevailing gas prices in the region for the gas it uses, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hamidreza Araqi said.

Speaking at a press conference here he said setting natural gas prices depends on various factors adding natural gas prices vary in different markets including in the U.S, Europe and Asian markets.
NIGC increased natural gas prices for delivery to household and commercial sectors as well as state-owned institutions today by 15 percent. New prices come into force as of tomorrow.

Meanwhile NIGC decided to remain gas prices unchanged for delivery to industries, petrochemical plants, power plants and agricultural sector.
According to NIGC official, the company has raised gas tariffs by 15 percent for sport and educational institutions as well so that they should pay 920 IR rial [per each cubic meter] as of Wednesday instead of 800 IR rials last year.

Traditional bakeries in commercial sector have been excluded from rising prices, he said.
Meanwhile, NIOPDC, another subsidiary of Petroleum Ministry, put an end to subsidized gasoline rationing system to unify the petrol and gasoil prices.

“As of Tuesday midnight, each liter of regular gasoline will sell at IRR 10,000 and each liter of premium gasoline at IRR 12,000,” spokesman for National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) Davoud Arab-Ali said.
Each dollar is traded for nearly IRR 29,000 officially and for around IRR 33,000 on open market.

Davoud Arab-Ali said gasoil will also sell at IRR 3,000 a liter in Iran, adding that kerosene will sell at IRR 1,500 a liter and liquefied gas at IRR 2,300 per kilogram.
Jet fuel price will soar to IRR 6,000 a liter while compressed natural gas (CNG) will be charged at IRR 4,000 per cubic meter.

Arab-Ali said the quota remaining in smart cards of car owners would be valid until September.

By SHANA