Iran Finance Ministry Pressure Oil Giants to Pay Taxes

The state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) today denied reports by Iranian news agencies that the country’s state-owned bank has suspended the company’s accounts after the Ministry of Finance put levies on NIOC accounts for nonpayment of its taxes. NIOC chairman, Ahmad Ghalehbani, told IRNA today that NIOC was not guilty of tax evasion and the authorities were probably after National Iranian Refining and Distribution Company (NIRDC). The finance officials have in the past singled out NIRDC for nonpayment of its taxes.