TEHRAN Director of the paraxylene project at Bandar Imam Khomeini Petrochemical Complex Mohammadreza Rezaei said here Tuesday that Iran's President Mohammad Khatami will soon inaugurate the project for production of paraxylene at the complex.

Rezaei told reporters that as planned 180,000 tons of paraxylene will be produced annually.

He said the country's paraxylene output is four times domestic consumption. 50,223 tons of paraxylene have been produced the beginning of the current Iranian year, said the official, adding that 36,820 tons of the output, worth $15 million, were exported.

Executive operations on the project started in March 1997 and ended in March 1999.

The project started its tentative operation in June and September 2000.

Rezaei said Rls.838 billion has been spent on the project.

(IRNA)