TEHRAN: Iran’s oil production rose by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March — a yet another sign of the country’s positive performance after the removal of multiple-year sanctions. Figures released by Bloomberg show that Iran’s overall crude output now stands at 3.2 million bpd — the highest level since May 2012.
In mid-January, a series of economic sanctions that had been imposed on Iran for multiple years were removed following a deal between the country and the P5+1 — the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany — was implemented.
The sanctions barred foreign investments in the Iranian oil industry and also limited a low ceiling of one million bpd on the country’s oil exports. Immediately after the removal of the sanctions, Iran both increased its oil output and subsequently its exports. The country’s oil output rose by several hundred thousand barrels per day to reach around 1.4 million bpd.
Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said in late March that the country’s oil exports had reached around 2.2 million bpd within two months after the removal of the sanctions on Iran. Jahangiri said the figure marked a rise of 900,000 bpd in Iran’s oil production capacity. Iran has already rejected calls by other fellow producers to freeze its post-sanctions oil output increase plans to help stabilize the prices.
Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh underlined that the Islamic Republic will press on with its plans to increase oil production — that had been restricted for several years as a result of the sanctions — to regain its lost market share.
