Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed Imam Khamenei: Sharp Decline in Oil Prices Driven by Political Objectives

Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed People Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Tehran on Saturday underlined that the international crude prices are experiencing a strange and sudden fall due to political incentives.
“Our common enemies use oil as a political weapon and they surely play a role in the sharp fall in crude prices,” Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed People Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei said during the meeting.

The Supreme Leader reiterated that the sudden decline in the oil prices in such a short period of time is the result of a politicized and uneconomic move.

Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed People Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei approved of the agreements reached by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Venezuelan counterpart to coordinate a common stance against the falling crude prices, but said, “Of course, the two countries’ cooperation is not restricted to oil issues and the level of the (trade) exchanges and investments between the two countries which is less than expected should be increased.”

“Iran’s resolute decision is to continue and increase all-out cooperation with Venezuela,” Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed People Imam Sayyed Ali Khameneireiterated.

The Supreme Leader, meantime, thanked Caracas for its resistance, stances and attempts in regional and international areas, and said Venezuela’s pursuit of its causes has resulted in the awakening of many Latin American nations and the US is showing enmity towards Caracas for the same reason.

The Supreme Leader praised Venezuela’s stances and attempts, specially against Israel, and said the arrogant powers are showing hostile attitude towards Caracas due to the latter’s positions in support of the Palestinians and its influence in Latin America.

Leader of World Muslims and Oppressed People Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei pointed to Venezuela’s good stances during the 51-Day Israeli war on Gaza, and said, “The Zionist regime is completely hated in the world, specially among the regional nations, and your brave stances against this regime will bring you many friends.”
The Venezuelan president, for his part, pointed to the sharp decline in oil prices, and said, “We are trying to work out consensus among OPEC member-states and other oil exporting countries, including Russia, to help the oil prices stand an acceptable level through cooperation and use of modern mechanisms.”

President Maduro referred to the Palestinian issue, and said that the Venezuelan nation and government feel indebted to the Palestinian causes.

“We are sure that Palestine will be liberated one day,” he added.

The Venezuelan president blamed the US and its colonial policies for the oppression of the Palestinians.

Earlier today, President Rouhani called on Venezuela and other OPEC members to launch collective efforts to defuse the plot hatched by certain world powers to decrease oil prices.

“Undoubtedly, cooperation among the aligned countries in the OPEC can both defuse the plots of certain powers against the organization and help stabilize an acceptable price for oil in 2015,” Rouhani said in his meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart in Tehran today.

Elsewhere, he called for the further development of bilateral relations with Venezuela in trade, investment, exports of technical and engineering services, medical industries, ship-building and direct flights between the two countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran can have the necessary cooperation with Venezuela in areas of housing, road-construction, industry, and food and drug industries to meet the needs of the Latin American country,” Rouhani said.

He also asked for strengthening cooperation between Tehran and Caracas in international organizations, and said such cooperation can lead to the establishment of security and development.

“Both countries are opposed to terrorism and extremism in the world and help each other in the establishment of stability and security across the world,” Rouhani stressed.

In relevant remarks in November, Rouhani in a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez in Tehran underlined the need for cooperation between Tehran and Caracas to help stabilize the crude prices in the global markets in a bid to prevent instability of international economy.

“The sudden fluctuations in oil prices (negatively) influence the stability of the global market and hence we should try to maintain balance in oil prices,” the Iranian president said during the meeting.

He further pointed to the status quo of Iran-Venezuela relations, and said, “Tehran and Caracas should always stand beside each other and they should help each other to prevent the enemies from harming their national interest.”

President Rouhani reiterated that Iran and Venezuela should boost their economic cooperation, and said, “We will be looking for broadening bilateral ties, specially in economic areas.”

The Venezuelan foreign minister, for his part, said that his country will be beside Iran in all international areas.