Iranian minister calls for states to be stopped from manipulating oil prices

Iran’s deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs has called on the countries in the Middle East to take steps to make sure that no oil producer can manipulate oil prices. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian insisted that no country should be allowed to create a situation that harms the economy and welfare of the whole region while benefiting other states internationally.

According to Abdollahian, some Kuwaiti media outlets have “misinterpreted” the statements made by Iran’s President Hassan Rohani this week regarding Kuwait and the dire repercussions resulting from the fall in oil prices. His claims were reported by Fars news agency.

Rohani said that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait would regret reducing oil prices. Both countries, he added, would suffer if Iran suffers from their decision.

The deputy foreign minister said that it is not acceptable to see a regional country take no action to stop the sliding oil prices, without considering the interests of other oil-producing states. He also criticised what he called the “wrong positions” of some figures in the Kuwaiti media. “Tehran understands the measures and plotting that took place to reduce the oil price,” he added, “but it will not allow this to affect the excellent relations between the two countries.”