Iran open to oil output freeze in future
Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh says Iran will take part in discussions on a possible oil production freeze after its output reaches 4 million barrels per day, Press TV reported.
“I have already announced my view regarding the oil freeze and I’m saying now that as long as we have not reached 4 million (barrels per day) in production, they should leave us alone," Zangeneh said on Sunday, ahead of the meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.
“When we reach this level of production, we can then cooperate with them,” he added, as quoted by the source, referring to Russia and Saudi Arabia which have agreed to a production freeze provided that other major producers followed suit.
Iran is trying to regain its market share after the removal of sanctions. Zangeneh has already dismissed the idea of a production freeze by Iran as "a joke."
OPEC and non-OPEC producers are working to shore up prices which have nosedived around 70% since mid-2014. Zangeneh said he was satisfied with oil at $70 a barrel, but “if the oil price goes below this figure, no problem will arise” for Iran. The minister said he expects Iran’s crude oil exports to hit 2 million bpd in the current Persian month of Esfand which ends on March 20.