Venezuela Agrees To Sell Gasoline To Iran

Venezuela Agrees To Sell Gasoline To Iran
Jul 4, 2007

Venezuela has agreed to sell gasoline to Iran, the South American county's energy minister said in comments published Tuesday, a week after the Islamic country imposed a fuel rationing program that has sparked violence.

"Yes, Iranians have asked to buy gasoline from us and we have accepted this demand," Rafael Ramirez told the Iranian daily newspaper Shargh. The reformist daily said Ramirez refused to elaborate on the deal.

During a visit to Iran this week, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the two "strategic partners." Ramirez accompanied Chavez on the visit.

Last week, the Iranian government began rationing fuel, causing angry Iranians to smash shop windows and set fire to dozens of gas stations in the capital Tehran and several other cities.

The government says the fuel rationing will free up funding for development projects and make the country "invincible."

Iran is one of the world's biggest oil producers, but it doesn't have enough refineries, so it must import more than 50% of the gasoline its people use from abroad.

© 2007 Dow Jones Newswires