Competition over OPEC secretary general post; Iran supports Iraq
Iran announced on June 2 that it will introduce a nominee for the post of secretary general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but a day later Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said that Iran will support Samir Ghazban, the Iraqi nominee for the position. Mr. Shahristani told Bloomberg that Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi, in his recent talks with Iraqi officials in Baghdad, has voiced his support for the Iraqi nominee to take over the post of OPEC secretary general. Meanwhile, the IRNA News Agency quoted Qasemi on Sunday as saying that Iran will introduce its nominee for this position at the June 14th meeting. However, Iran has not officially declared its withdrawal from taking over the post of the OPEC secretary general. The Iranian oil minister reiterated on June 4th that the country will soon introduce a nominee for the position. Iraq is inexperienced in executive affairs in the OPEC and has only worked as formally part