The United States of America and its regional ally Saudi Arabia are making a lot of efforts to squeeze Iran's share in its traditional oil markets in East Asian countries.
“Saudi Arabia has entered into negotiations with Iran’s traditional oil customers and tries to claim a bigger market share in Southeast Asia,” Mohammad Reza Moqaddam, the former director of research and technology at the Oil Ministry, was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
Moqaddam noted that Saudi Arabia’s oil output is being used as a leverage for the realization of US hostile policies against Iran, adding that the new National Security Strategy unveiled by US President Donald Trump in December focuses on putting economic pressure on Iran by reducing the country's share in oil and gas export markets.
“The US seems to have changed the former administration’s energy policy, which was the maximum production of oil and gas from unconventional sources such as shale, to maximum export of shale oil and gas under the current government,” he said.
Stressing that the US followed the policy of increasing the country’s energy self-sufficiency under the tenure of former president Barack Obama, the official said the Trump government, however, aims to act as an energy hub by raising the import of heavy crude from its North American neighboring countries to minimize its dependence on Middle East suppliers and increase shale oil exports to compete with its rivals, Russia and Iran.
“In general, the United States has based its threats against Iran’s oil and gas sectors on preventing investment, limiting export markets and creating obstacles in the way of receiving oil revenues,” he said.
According to the ex-Oil Ministry official, Japan is gradually reducing its oil purchases from Iran in line with the implementation of the new US energy policies. This is while the East Asian country can be equally important as Europe in Iran’s energy relations.
Moqaddam noted that India and China account for the major part of global oil and gas consumption growth until 2050.
“Thus, strengthening ties with these countries should not be taken for granted.”
Ali Kardor, the National Iranian Oil Company’s managing director, told ISNA on Friday that Iran does not intend to increase oil output, currently standing at around 3.9 million barrels per day, in the next fiscal year that starts on March 21.
