MNA – President Hassan Rouhani pointed to the ability of Iran to export gas to countries situated on the eastern side of its border.

“Today, we export gas from the west of the country to Iraq and Turkey and we can also export gas to eastern countries; we have laid the gas pipeline to the point of Pakistani border,” he said on Monday in a ceremony to inaugurate three major oil, gas, and petrochemical projects.

He referred to the gas industry as a fundamental infrastructure that will lead to the country’s development and can also connect Iran to its neighbors.

Rouhani also noted that some 17,000 villages across the country have been connected to the country’s gas network, describing the network ‘unique’ in the world.

“Oil production from joint oil resources has increased from 70,000 barrels to 400,000 barrels, and if this evil person had not taken office in the United States, today our production from these fields would have reached to more than one million barrels,” the President's press service quoted him as saying.

Pointing out that the government has taken great steps in the field of oil and gas, Rouhani said, “With the efforts of the 11th and 12th governments, it has left a valuable heritage for the Iranian nation and the future government, and future governments can benefit from its blessings.”

"With the efforts of the 11th and 12th governments, we have been able to become self-sufficient in the gas sector and we have reached from 600 million cubic meters to about 1000 million cubic meters”.

Stating that yesterday the Leader pointed out that the heritage of this government should be left for the future government, Rouhani said, "The government leaves great heritage in the gas sector for the future government and all phases of South Pars have been opened except one and also have become self-sufficient in petrol and diesel.”

"The next government will start when the petrochemicals have risen from 56 million tons to 100 million tons and from $11 billion to $25 billion," the president said.

Referring to the investment of €4.7 billion projects that were inaugurated today in the oil sector, Rouhani said, "This volume of investment is a great work that has been achieved with the efforts of those involved when we are under sanctions."

"Today, we can tell people that great work has been done in this government, both in oil and gas and in the joint fields."

Referring to the government's plan to create a third leap in the oil and gas field, Rouhani said, "The government will make the second leap in the petrochemical field by the end of this period, and we have planned a third leap with an export value of $37 billion.”

Referring to the Supreme Leader's emphasis on preventing the sale of raw materials, the President said, "In the field of oil and gas, with the construction of petrochemical complexes, good measures have been taken in this regard and I believe that this transformation should be done in all underground mines.”