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Iran's new oil minister to attend OPEC meet

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-04 20:52

Nominee for Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi speaks to lawmakers in parliament in Tehran September 3, 2009. [Agencies]

TEHRAN: New Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi will attend OPEC's next meeting in Vienna on September 9, the country's representative to the producer group was quoted as saying on Friday by the semi-official Mehr News Agency.

Mohammad Ali Khatibi, Iran's governor to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, also said one of Mirkazemi's goals was to maintain the Islamic state's position as OPEC's second-largest crude producer.

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The appointment of Mirkazemi, who was commerce minister in the outgoing government, was approved by parliament on Thursday, together with 17 other of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's proposed ministers.

"Massoud Mirkazemi, Iran's new oil minister, will attend the next OPEC meeting," Khatibi told Mehr. He said that maintaining Iran's position as OPEC's second-largest crude producer was part of Mirkazemi's working plan submitted to parliament.

Iran, which is traditionally one of the first among OPEC members to suggest measures that would boost oil prices, is also the world's fifth-largest crude exporter.

Mirkazemi received parliamentary backing even though some lawmakers criticised him for lacking sufficent experience of the oil sector, which accounts for most of Iran's state revenue.