- Title: Iran's Zanganeh calls new Saudi energy minister old friend
- Date: 2nd October 2019
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN ENERGY WEEK INTERNATIONAL FORUM GAS PANEL IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN OIL MINISTER, BIJAN ZANGANEH, SAYING: "All the Muslim countries, all the neighbour countries should have the peaceful environment between themselves. Anyone out of Iran does not think, I believe, that Iran is their enemies. Our enemy is another country out of this area." FORUM PARTICIPANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN OIL MINISTER, BIJAN ZANGANEH, SAYING: "Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, I am friend with him more than 22 years. During this long term, despite the up and down relation, political relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, we have been friends and I hope to be friends in the future, I have no difficulty with him. This is not Iranian difficulty, this difficulty between Iran and Saudi Arabia has not (inaudible) from the Iranian side." FORUM PARTICIPANTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN ENERGY MINISTER, ALEXANDER NOVAK, SAYING: "I think that currently (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF FORUM OIL PANEL IN PROGRESS) the oil market situation is very uneasy, despite the fact that we see some kind of stable price fluctuation, around (OVER SAUDI ENERGY MINISTER ABDULAZIZ BIN SALMAN LISTENING) 60 dollars. There was a rapid price boost after an attack on Aramco's infrastructure (OVER FORUM PARTICIPANTS), although it was for a short period of time. However, despite the prices being stable (CONTINUES IN SHOT) we do not see the stability itself." FORUM PARTICIPANTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN ENERGY MINISTER, ALEXANDER NOVAK, SAYING: "There is no predictability in the oil market, it is hard to predict. That's why I think that the situation is not easy. I believe we all need to coordinate our efforts better, to share information, to predict to make better decisions. This way the volatility that might happen can be neutralised by our common actions." FORUM IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 16th October 2019 11:02
- Keywords: Iran Russia eneregy forum Aramco attack Iran Saudi energy minister sanctions against Iran
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZEM05J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Iran's oil minister sought to defuse tensions with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, calling his counterpart in Riyadh 'a friend' and saying Tehran was committed to stability in the region.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly clashed at OPEC meetings over output policies, and tensions between the two countries have flared as Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for an attack on Saudi oil facilities on Sept. 14., a charge Tehran denies.
The attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities remains in the spotlight as it sent OPEC's oil output to an eight-year low in September, deepening the impact of a supply pact and U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.
Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, speaking at an energy conference in Moscow, denied Tehran was trying to raise tensions in the region and spoke warmly of Prince Abdulaziz, a senior member of Saudi royal family who became energy minister last month.
(Production: Dmitry Turlyun) - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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