Page 12 - MEOG Week 35 2021

MEOG NEWS IN BRIEF MEOG

Raisi replaces head of nuclear deal diplomacy with Tehran fails.
POLICY he said that he may consider other options if
Iran OPEC Status to be atomic agency against [Iran] amounts to threatening another
“The emphasis on using ‘other options’
Improved: Owji Iran’s newly installed President Ebrahim Raisi country illegally and establishes Iran’s right
has appointed a new head of the country’s
to reciprocate ... against ‘available options’,”
Iranian Minister of Petroleum Javad Owji said atomic agency, switching the country’s most Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme
the supply of winter fuel is the most important prominent nuclear scientist for someone with National Security Council, said on Twitter.
priority of the oil industry for the time being, no expertise in the field. Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali
adding, “Our effort is to strengthen Iran’s State media reported on August 29 that Bennett in White House talks on August 28
position in OPEC and take back our markets.” Mohammad Eslami, previously a housing that he was putting “diplomacy first” to try
Speaking on Thursday, the first day of his and transport minister, will lead the civilian to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme, but that
tenure, Mr. Owji said, “I am a servant of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, if negotiations failed he would be prepared
oil industry family; I have been educated in replacing US-educated scientist Ali Akbar to turn to other unspecified options, Reuters
this field and have served this field for 35 years Salehi. The latter is also a former foreign reported.
in the upstream and downstream sectors.” minister and longtime head of the atomic BNE
Regarding the most important priorities of agency. He is regarded as having played
the industry that are on the agenda, he said: a crucial role in talks that led to the 2015
“The most important issue that should be nuclear deal, or JCPOA. COMPANIES
seriously pursued is gas imbalance and winter RFE/RL noted that Eslami is a US-
fuel supply, which is very important. Today we trained engineer who has ties to Iran’s PDO eyes commissioning of
will have the first meeting of the Council of military industry, having served as a deputy
Deputies and a meeting for winter fuel soon. minister in the Defence Ministry’s research new wind farm by 2023
We will hold it with the Ministry of Energy.” department. He also served as director of
The Minister of Oil considered the the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Building on its already sizable presence in
maintenance of production, organization of Company and deputy chief of the Aerospace the renewable energy space in the Sultanate,
human capital, sale of oil and gas condensate, Industries Organization. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) – the
prevention of crude sales and entry into The new appointment comes with months nation’s biggest producer of hydrocarbons –
the chain of complementary industries as of international talks in Vienna to salvage the says it aims to commission its first wind power
the main priorities of the oil industry. Owji nuclear deal—which former US president development by 2023.
touched on the upcoming OPEC+ meeting Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, leading to The majority state-owned energy firm says
and the return of Iranian oil into the market, Iran to gradually step up its non-compliance it has already initiated preliminary work to
saying: “World oil demand is increasing due with the accord—expected to begin again in support the development of an estimated 100
to vaccination; undoubtedly, one of our plans September. MW capacity wind farm within its Block 6
is to strengthen Iran’s status in OPEC and take Under the JCPOA, Tehran agreed to concession.
back our markets.” a compliance deal under which it would “(PDO) conducted a feasibility study with
He said: “Identifying new markets for oil demonstrably keep its nuclear programme a view to commissioning a wind farm by
will be one of our main tasks and we will take purely civilian in exchange for the dropping of 2023 as part of the transition to renewable
back what is the right of the Islamic Republic major sanctions. energy,” the company stated in the 2020
of Iran.” On August 28, a top Iranian security Annual Report of the Ministry of Energy and
SHANA official accused US President Joe Biden on Minerals issued last week.
Saturday of illegally threatening Iran after “(Meteorological) masts were erected at six

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