Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.9
Trend:
Reza Modir, Iran Oil Ministry's former deputy director for OPEC affairs, said it is a mistake to think that Moscow may betray Tehran’s trust and renege on its oil deals, noting that Russia is only trying to serve its own interests in the region.
“Russia has never adopted a consistent policy on OPEC and its cooperation with the organization had been always temporary and for tactical reasons and this time is no exception,” Modir told ILNA news agency on August 9.
He added that Russia’s oil cooperation with both Iran and Saudi Arabia has never been a strategic one.
“Everybody knows that Russia is dependent on oil revenues, and this time they have settled their differences with Saudis only to control prices in the (global) oil market,” Modir noted.
However, it is still open to question whether Russia is a strategic partner of Iran, or whether it can be only regarded as an oil rival, the former official added.
“It is a mistake to think that Russia will betray Iran’s trust,” he stressed, adding that Moscow is only seeking to serve its interests in the region.
On June 23, OPEC agreed with Russia and other oil-producing allies to raise output from July, with Saudi Arabia pledging a “measurable” supply boost but giving no specific numbers.
