Page 36 - IRANRptSep19

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh has issued a statement that Mohammad Taeb would represent Iran at future OPEC meetings, SHANA reported on August 6.
Taeb had been previously the acting representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries since April 2018; however, his latest confirmation appears to have been given the green light from the authorities in Iran.
The official said that he expressed “optimism for the role” and that he would seek to defend Iran’s position in international negotiations.
Taeb replaces Mohammad Sadegh Nowrozi as Iran’s Acting National Representative to OPEC.
Iran’s position at OPEC in recent months has been one of intransigence and holding on to previous gains at the cartel.
Speaking to reporters in the Austrian capital Vienna on July 2, the Iranian minister pointed to the five-hour gathering of the OPEC earlier in the day and said: “I think it was a good meeting and we reached what we were looking for.” “Iran has been exempted from reducing oil production as in the past,” the oil minister noted.
He pointed to comments on OPEC’s increasing politicisation: “Whether we want to or not, since oil is somewhat political, we cannot rule out the fact that oil has a strong political nature, but some use the oil as a tool against producers like Iran and Venezuela.”
9.1.2 Automotive sector news
Saeed Bastani, a member of Iran’s parliamentary commission on industries, mining and trade, has disclosed that the government plans to sell its stakes in automakers Iran Khodro (IKCO) and SAIPA, according to Iran Student News Agency.
The Rouhani administration announced at the beginning of its second term in 2017 that the government intended to sell off its 14% stake in largest Iranian automaker Iran Khodro and its 17% stake in the second largest, SAIPA. Since then both companies have been severely impacted by the heavy sanctions introduced against Iran by the US last year—foreign partners including PSA Group’s Peugeot and Citroen pulled out of Iran fearing secondary sanctions from Washington should they stay.
Bastani reportedly said: “Earlier last week, the government's economic commission decided to sell all government shares in car companies and some other state-owned corporations.”
Once the stake sales were completed, “the country’s automotive sector will be on the verge of a major transformation”, he added.
The path to full privatisation will take at least a year, but the reported clearance given by the important commission is a significant step forwards.
IKCO and SAIPA have been a drag on the government’s coffers since they were taken into state ownership following the 1979 revolution. A lack of investment and a reliance on foreign partners have left the companies producing cars designed in the 1980s, including the Kia Pride and Peugeot 405.
Bastani added that ministries were also gearing up to sell their stakes in six other companies including major Tehran football teams Persepolis and Esteghlal–the two biggest teams in Iran.
36 IRAN Country Report September 2019 www.intellinews.com