Iranian employees of the oil industry that had played a major role in the Islamic revolts by their all-out presence in popular campaigns cross-country Strikes and interruption of the flow of oil , undertook the management and operations of the industry including exploration , drilling , production , transportation , refining and exportation , following the exit of foreign oil companies from Iran .Despite doubts expressed by international experts , Iranian employees proved their ability and expertise in successfully running the affairs of Iran’s oil industry . In the wake of the eruption of the imposed war on 21st Sep. 1980 , Oil , Gas , and Petrochemical industry centers ‘ installations and complexes , turned into targets of heaviest enemy air raids & ground attacks .in the course of incessant Iraqi air strikes aimed at interrupting Iran’s oil production and exports , as well as disrupting fuel transmission to cities ,industries and warfronts , the strategically vital oil industry centers were seriously damaged . The Abadan refinery was demolished and other refineries were attacked many times by the fierce enemy .Kharg Island, And other oil export terminals were continuously targets for heavy enemy bombardment . despite such intense pressures ,which were aimed at shattering the backbone of the country’s oil industry and economy at large , petroleum exports did not halt even for a single day . The period witnessed a new episode came to be know as “ Oil –Tankers war “, in the course of which even oil-wells and oil platforms were also targeted by enemy invasions .
With about a thousand martyrs , the captivity and martyrdom of engineer Mohammad Javad Tondgooyan ,the then Iranian Minister of Petroleum , oil industry employees and experts protected and maintained production , refining and export facilities , and continuously acted and rebuilt installations damaged in enemy air raids . By implementing innovative plans , they countered enemy plots , and brought about conditions , under which neither the country nor the combatants faced any problems.