Iran to build oil refineries in Indonesia

Iran plans to construct six oil refineries in Indonesia to boost energy cooperation, an Iranian energy official was quoted as saying by Press TV on Monday. Iran will build an oil refinery with a daily production capacity of 150,000 barrels and five smaller refineries with daily output capacities between 30,000 and 50,000 barrels in Indonesia, said Hassan Khosrojerdi, who heads Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union. A joint Iran-Indonesia consortium will be in charge of the refineries' construction, Khosrojerdi said, adding that Iran will provide the feedstock for the six oil refineries in Indonesia. "Indonesia, as one of the biggest economies in the Islamic world, holds a significant position in Iran's foreign policy, and cooperation between the two countries can play an effective role in (promoting) convergence among Muslim nations," Iranian president's chief of staff, Mohammad Nahavandian, said in February at a meeting with visiting Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam. Alam also expressed his country's willingness to boost ties with Iran, saying that the Islamic republic and Indonesia can play an important role in promoting interactions among Muslim countries and in countering extremism.