*Says it is impossible to eliminate Iran’s oil from the market
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, Mohammed Barkindo, has said the group tries to depoliticise oil.
Barkindo’s statement came following accusations by Iran that the United States is using oil as a weapon against Tehran.
According to the OPEC chief quoted by the Iranian oil ministry on Thursday, OPEC is a non-political affiliated group.
“OPEC tries to depoliticize oil”, Iran’s oil ministry said on Twitter.
“I have told my colleagues at OPEC that you must leave your passports home when coming to this organization,” Barkindo was quoted as saying.
Asked by a reporter if it was technically possible to implement U.S. sanctions against Tehran, Barkindo said: “It is impossible to eliminate Iranian oil from the market,” as against the U.S threatening buyers of Iranian oil with sanctions.
Iran’s regional rival, Saudi Arabia has welcomed the U.S. move to end all sanction waivers and has said it is ready to meet oil consumers’ demand by replacing supplies from Tehran.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh warned on Wednesday that nations that use oil as a weapon will bring about the collapse of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
However, Barkindo said, “We have faced troubles in the OPEC in the last 60 years, but we have resolved them by unity.”
“What is happening in Iran, Venezuela or Libya has an impact on all the market and the energy sector,” he said.
