Tehran: Iran announced that a significant portion of its oil and gas refining facilities, which were damaged in United States (US)-Israeli attacks since February 28, have been reconstructed. Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad revealed this development, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

According to Nam News Network, Paknejad, speaking to Shana, the Iranian Oil Ministry's news platform, emphasized that despite the ongoing conflict, the country's crude oil exports have continued. He highlighted the extensive damage inflicted on Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal, stating it had been targeted over 550 times. Despite these attacks, operations on the island continued under challenging conditions, with oil being loaded onto tankers amidst bombardment.

Paknejad also addressed the status of oil and gas refining facilities in southern Iran, which were hit during the US-Israeli attacks. He explained that the reconstruction efforts began shortly after the attacks, focusing initially on clearing debris. This reconstruction process started two to three days post-attack, and substantial progress has been made.

The Iranian Oil Minister indicated that the results of these efforts are anticipated to be visible in the coming months, with a particular emphasis on increasing gas production. The US-Israeli attacks have heightened regional tensions, leading to retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran against Israeli and US interests.

In a bid to address these tensions, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 regarding the freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the implementation of this agreement has faced challenges due to disagreements over security measures in the strait.