Iran backs its OPEC chief candidacy

The Iranian OPEC Governor, Mohammad Ali Khatibi says the Islamic Republic strongly supports its candidacy for assuming the position of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries secretary-general.

Khatibi made the remark to the official website of Iran’s Oil Ministry, SHANA on Sunday.
He rejected reports that Iran had withdrawn its candidacy, adding that at the 162nd Ordinary OPEC Meeting, which was held in Vienna on Wednesday, no full consensus was reached over who should function as the organization’s next secretary-general, and thus the member states agreed unanimously that the current person in the position, Abdullah al-Badry from Libya remain in his post for another year.
On Thursday, Iran’s Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said at a press conference that the Iranian candidate, nominated for the post, is qualified in every aspect, adding that an impartial team would evaluate the candidates for the post.
Qasemi also said that the organization had agreed to stick to its oil production ceiling of 30 million barrels per day.
OPEC is a Vienna-based intergovernmental organization of 12 oil-producing countries, which groups Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.