TEHRAN – Iran started issuing smart cards for purchasing gasoline on Monday through “Mobile Government” - the first phase of e-government services project which came on stream in May.

Applicants can register through the application or the website of Mobile Government, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said, Mehr reported.

Through the project, the gasoline smart cards, which were used for rationing fuel in past years, is now connected to the bank cards for easy payment, he said.

In gas stations, 55 percent of fuel nozzles are connected to the Mobile Government system and the rest can be paid by POS payment, he added.

The government save 3.3 trillion rials (some $78.5m) through issuing the smart card by the Mobile Government, he said.

In June 2007, Iran began rationing gasoline and the Oil Ministry has allocated each private motorist 100 liters per month at about 11 cents per liter. 

Under this plan, which continued until 2016, gasoline was only supplied through smart card, an initiative taken by the former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to stop lavish fuel consumption -- 73 million liters daily -- by over seven million cars nationwide. 

After two years hiatus, the ICT ministry plans to use the smart cards for e-payment.

SB/MQ/MG