New Iran Oil Minister Selected

Iran’s new president has picked the former head of the country’s natural-gas company as oil minister, at a time when the Islamic Republic is engaged in fraught negotiations with world powers to revive petroleum exports.

Javad Owji, who hasn’t previously held a full ministerial post but was once managing director of National Iranian Gas Company, was proposed for the role in a list of cabinet ministers presented to lawmakers by President Ebrahim Raisi. He would replace retiring veteran, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.

Mr Owji was more recently the head of Sina Energy Development Company, owned by a state-run charity that’s controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His career has included senior positions at other energy and petrochemicals companies such as Petro Mofid Development Holding, which is also ultimately controlled by Khamenei’s office.

Critical Juncture

“He’s an engineer and technocrat,” said Iman Nasseri, managing director for the Middle East at consultant FGE and who has worked in Iran.

The potential appointment comes at a critical juncture for Tehran, which is seeking to remove punishing US sanctions on its oil exports by reviving a 2015 nuclear accord with Washington and the likes of the European Union and Russia.

Mr Raisi’s selection of hawkish diplomat Hossein Amirabdollahian as foreign minister has indicated the president intends to pursue a tough line in the negotiations, which have lost momentum.

Iran’s crude output has plummeted since then-President Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear accord in 2018 and tightened sanctions.

Mr Owji’s lack of diplomatic experience may make it harder for him to defend Iran’s position should other OPEC members try to impose a production quota on it if US sanctions are eased.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies began supply cuts early last year as the coronavirus pandemic spread. Due to the sanctions, Iran was exempted.

“He will have a tough challenge in defending Iran’s position and protecting Iran from calls to cut production,” Mr Nasser said. “Many of Iran’s seasoned OPEC hands are no longer there and Mr Owji doesn’t have the deep relationships there.”

Source: Rigzone