Economy
2023-May-27 16:51Iran: West Seeking to Sow Division among OPEC Member States
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi cautioned that certain Western countries are bent on ensuring their interests through stirring discord among member states of The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Iran's president made the remarks in a meeting with OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al-Ghais in Tehran on Saturday.
President Rayeesi described the constructive interaction between the OPEC member states as a crucial factor in the success of the organization.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always maintained constructive cooperation with the OPEC, and pursue to promote the level of the collaboration between the two sides and strengthen it," he added.
The president further cautioned that some Western countries seek to sow division and discord among the OPEC member states in order to achieve their own interests, calling on the members to prevent the fulfillment of the Western states' objectives by strengthening their unity.
Rayeesi expressed hope that OPEC would be able to control fluctuations and bring about calm to the oil market.
Al-Ghais, for his part, praised Iran as a founding member of OPEC that has always had fruitful and effective cooperation with the other members.
He stated that Iran has always contributed to closer unity of the OPEC members, both at the ministerial and the technical level.
The chief expressed hope that consensus among the OPEC member states as well as Iran’s constructive support and cooperation would help restore calm to the global oil market.
Iranian Oil Minister Calls for Non-Political Energy Markethttps://t.co/K3voCQJaVS pic.twitter.com/IkFoLFJtZz
— Fars News Agency (@EnglishFars) March 20, 2023
Oil prices ticked up on Friday as US officials appeared close to striking a debt-ceiling deal, and as the market weighed conflicting messages on supply from Russia and Saudi Arabia ahead of the next OPEC+ policy meeting.
Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ oil producers announced cuts of more than one million barrels per day in April after crude prices in March fell towards $70 a barrel, the lowest in 15 months.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and top producer Saudi Arabia have long blamed wild oil price swings on speculators, with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman promising to inflict pain on them.