After the war ended, the gradual restoration of the city and the oil refinery complex began. However, restoring Abadan's former role proved difficult. By the time the oil infrastructure was fully restored, some functions had already been redistributed among other energy centers in the country. The city's economic importance diminished, and attempts to revive it as a major commercial and industrial center faced serious challenges.

The coordination of the three-phase Abadan Refinery restoration project was carried out by the state-owned company NIOC. The process stretched over many years. In the first phase, the main focus was on restoring basic infrastructure: clearing the area of destroyed structures, repairing pipelines, restoring power supply systems, and reconstructing port facilities. Without solving these tasks, even a partial resumption of oil refining was impossible. At the same time, an assessment of the technological equipment was conducted. Many cracking, distillation, and oil purification units were either destroyed or severely damaged. Some equipment had to be completely replaced. Under international restrictions and sanctions, Iran had to find alternative ways to purchase equipment or develop its own engineering solutions. This stimulated the development of the national petrochemical and engineering industries. It is to the first phase of the refinery's restoration that the commemorative stamp of 1989 is dedicated, on which the plant, like the Phoenix bird, rises from the ashes.

In the early 1990s, the first restored production lines were launched. The plant's production capacity gradually increased, although it took a very long time to reach pre-war levels. The main task during this period was to supply the domestic market with fuel. With population growth and economic development, Iran needed significant volumes of gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products. Therefore, the restoration of the Abadan Refinery was considered not only an economic task but also a matter of the country's energy security.

In subsequent years, restoration work gradually shifted from emergency repairs to modernization. Many technological units were replaced with more modern ones. In particular, atmospheric and vacuum distillation units, hydrotreating systems, and gasoline production units were reconstructed. These changes improved fuel quality and increased the depth of oil refining.

Simultaneously, the restoration of Abadan's urban infrastructure was underway. During the war, a significant part of the population left the city, and many residential areas were destroyed. The return of residents and the resumption of normal city life occurred gradually. The restoration of the oil refinery played an important role in the economic revival of the region, as the enterprise once again became a major employer and center of industrial activity.

By the end of the 1990s, the capacity of the Abadan Refinery still did not reach pre-war levels, but the plant once again became one of the largest refining enterprises in the Middle East. In subsequent decades, modernization continued. One of the priority areas was improving the environmental characteristics of fuel and reducing the sulfur content in petroleum products.