TEHRAN - Iran will not be sending any
representative to a key oil summit in Doha aimed at negotiating a
production freeze, Tehran's petroleum minister said on Sunday.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said a key oil summit in
Doha was for those who supported a production freeze, but as Tehran
wasn't expected "to sign up to the plan the presence of an Iranian
representative isn't necessary"
"The Doha meeting is for people who want to participate in
the production freeze plan... but since Iran isn't expected to sign up
to the plan the presence of an Iranian representative isn't necessary,"
Bijan Zanganeh was quoted as saying by the Shana news agency.
Tehran, which is aiming to increase crude output after the lifting of
nuclear-related Western sanctions, had said Friday it would send its
OPEC representative to the talks in Qatar that were due to start on
Sunday.
"Iran will in no way give up its historic production quota," Zanganeh said.
Oil prices, which hit a 13-year low earlier this year, have
rebounded sharply in recent weeks partly on expectation that a deal
between OPEC and non-OPEC producers in Qatar could help to reduce a
global crude supply glut.
Saudi Arabia, the world's leading oil exporter, has vowed
not to join an output freeze unless regional adversary Iran does
likewise.
OPEC said this week that Iranian oil production in March was
3.3 million barrels per day, up from 2.9 million in January, but still
short of its pre-embargo level of around 4.0 million.
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