Natural resources, energy and environment
Iran has very large known reserves of both
natural gas and oil. This represents almost one fifth of
the known natural gas in the world and almost one tenth
of the oil reserves. In addition, there are plenty of
minerals in the country such as iron, coal, zinc,
nickel, sulfur, chromium and copper.
Oil has been mined since the beginning of the 20th
century. Most of the oil wells are in the Khuzestan
province, but there are also oil fields in the Persian
Gulf. The recovery was greatest in the 1970s when it
reached the highest level of 6 million barrels a day.
-
COUNTRYAAH:
Major exports by Iran with a full list of the top products exported by the country. Includes trade value in U.S. dollars and the percentage for each product category.
The 1979 revolution, the war against Iraq in the
1980s and foreign sanctions in recent years (see Modern
History and Current Policy) have contributed to oil
production not reaching the same levels as before. The
increasingly severe sanctions also caused Iran to lose
importance as an oil exporting country. After most
sanctions were lifted in 2016, Iran could gradually
begin to regain its position on the world market. When
the United States reintroduced all its sanctions in
2018, it led to major economic problems for Iran,
despite several of the country's major oil customers
being temporarily exempted from US threats of
punishment.
Production, refining, distribution and export are
handled by the State National Iranian Oil Company (Nioc)
and its many subsidiaries. The constitution prohibits
foreign and private ownership of natural assets, but
since the beginning of the 1990s, foreign oil and gas
companies have been allowed to invest in the country.
They were responsible for financing and technology when
a new oil or gas field was exploited, and then replaced
by a repurchase mechanism when Nioc started production.
The foreign companies have no ownership rights in the
fields and receive no share in the profits once the
investment has been paid. In recent years, Western
companies have been forced to submit projects because of
the sanctions. China, on the other hand, chose to
increase cooperation with large investments in the oil
and gas fields, but China has subsequently slowed down.
This was the case with the first major new contract with
a Western company that was concluded in 2016, after the
sanctions were lifted. French Total then signed a
20-year contract worth € 4.3 billion to develop a new
offshore gas field in collaboration with an Iranian and
a Chinese company. Total then became one of the
companies affected by reintroduced US sanctions, and in
2019 Iran announced that China had also withdrawn.
-
Abbreviationfinder: A popular acronym site in the world covering abbreviation for each country. For example, IR stands for Iran.
Extensive extraction of a variety of metals and other
products is ongoing throughout Iran. The mine in Sar
Cheshmeh is estimated to have the second largest copper
deposits in the world. Iran also has assets of lead,
uranium, gold, phosphate and bauxite.
Electricity production has increased during the
2000s, but demand is increasing faster, especially from
industry. Since electricity is subsidized, it is
consumed unnecessarily. Electricity zoning occurs, but
virtually all residents have access to electricity.
Fossil fuels - mainly natural gas but also oil and to a
small extent coal - account for over 90 percent of the
electricity produced. The rest comes mainly from
hydropower.
The first electricity deliveries from nuclear power
came in 2011, but production is still on a modest scale.
In 2016 it was announced that two new nuclear reactors
would be built with Russian help and be ready after ten
years. Iran claims that all nuclear energy production is
for civilian purposes and cooperation with Russia
continues. When the US withdrew from the International
Nuclear Energy Agreement with Iran, which was concluded
in 2015, the civil partnerships established were allowed
to continue. A cloud of concern next to big politics is
that earthquakes are common in Iran. At New Year 2020,
two earthquakes were reported near the nuclear power
plant in Bushehr.
Environment
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake. Along
the beaches, seals used to be a common sight. An
estimated one-tenth of the stock that existed about 100
years ago now remains. The species is considered
endangered by hunting and industrial emissions, not
least from oil recovery. The UN environmental program
Unep has warned against large quantities of
uncontaminated wastewater, but also radioactive
substances from nuclear power plants. Much of the
pollution reaches the lake from the Volga River in
Russia, which flows into the Caspian Sea. Also, the
stocks of the valuable deer, which are fished for
caviar, have decreased dramatically.
Emissions of oil and chemicals have damaged marine
life both in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. In
cities, emissions from industries and cars create bad
air. Most cars lack catalysts and use gasoline with
lead. The Iranian motorist drives more than most because
of the very low gasoline price. Tehran is ranked as one
of the world's most polluted cities. There is also a
lack of clean water. Uncleaned wastewater from
industries and cities drains into the watercourses,
poisoning them and posing a threat to the country's
fresh water reservoirs.
Much of Iran's territory has been affected by land
degradation due to intensive grazing, logging and
desertification (see also Agriculture and Fisheries).
The problem is particularly evident at Lake Urmia in the
northwest, which was previously considered the world's
sixth largest saltwater lake. Through a combination of
drought and dams, the lake has lost 95 percent of its
water and more than two-thirds of its surface in a
couple of decades. In 2014, President Rohani estimated
the equivalent of five billion US dollars in ten years
to try to save the lake from disappearing completely.
Two natural areas are on UNESCO's World Heritage
List: the salt desert Lut and a very old forest on the
Caspian Sea that has unusually large biodiversity.
FACTS - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Energy use per person
3,034 kg of oil equivalent (2014)
Electricity consumption per person
2996 kilowatt hours, kWh (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions in total
649 481 thousand tonnes (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant
8.3 tonnes (2014)
The share of energy from renewable sources
0.9 percent (2015)
2012
October
New round of EU sanctions
The EU prohibits most transactions between European and Iranian banks. Export
ban to Iran is introduced for graphite, aluminum and steel.
Heavy currency depreciation
The exchange rate has been reported since the beginning of the year to have
lost 80 percent of its value.
September
Resistance movement is freed from the stamp of terror
The United States removes the Iranian resistance movement People's Mujahedin
from its list of terrorist organizations.
Diplomatic conflict with Canada
Canada closes its embassy in Tehran and expels all Iranian diplomats from
Canada. The Ottawa government describes Iran as one of the most serious threats
to world peace and a state sponsor of terrorism.
August
Global summit in Tehran
The Alliance-free movement holds its annual meeting in Tehran. Gathering
representatives of 120 countries to some extent raises Iran's low international
status.
The enrichment program greatly expanded
The IAEA reports that Iran has doubled the number of centrifuges for its
uranium enrichment program.
New robot is presented
Iran announces that the country has developed a new type of ballistic robot.
July
More expensive chicken riot
Doubling the price of chicken leads to unrest. The price increase is due to
the international sanctions which made it impossible to import chicken feed.
New EU sanctions
The EU prohibits the import of Iranian crude oil and cooperation with Iranian
companies in the oil industry. Exports to Iran of, among other things,
technology with possible military use are limited.
Broader US sanctions
US extends sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program.
Revolution guards are arrested in Kenya
Two Iranian revolutionary guards are arrested in Kenya and accused of
planning to attack Israeli, American, British and Saudi targets in the country.
The men are said to admit they planned 30 blast attacks in Kenya.
June
Anti-Semitic statement revolts
Vice President Rahimi stirs up an anti-Semitic speech during a UN conference.
US recognizes computer attack
The United States recognizes that the country has spread virus to Iranian
computers.
The President is re-elected
Ali Larijani is re-elected as President of Parliament.
May
The IAEA finds high-enriched uranium
The IAEA reports that 27% of uranium was found in the Fordow plant, which is
interpreted as work being done on trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Large Conservative majority in Parliament
The parliamentary election ends with a second round of elections. The
conservative supporters of Ayatollah Khamenei get a large majority of the seats.
In principle, all reform advocates are prohibited from participating.
April
Data attack against central authorities
The Ministry of Petroleum and the National Oil Company are subjected to an
attack by computer viruses.
Negotiations with the great powers
Iran begins negotiations on its nuclear research program with the five
permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.
March
Legislative elections
The first round of the parliamentary elections is conducted.
February
Limited death penalty
The death penalty is abolished for minors.
January
New murder of nuclear scientist
A senior employee at the Natanz nuclear plant is shot dead in Tehran. Israel
is suspected of being responsible.
Death sentence for spy
An American citizen of Iranian birth is sentenced to death for espionage.
|
