One of the possibilities for the future of the OPEC is its collapse. On the sidelines of the Oil Show, secretary-general of the Organization once and again repeated that elimination of Iran from international oil market and the OPEC was impossible. When OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo was asked on the new threats over Iran’s oil exports, he told reporters that Iran had been facing with such challenges for long and he was certain that Iran would surmount them.
On the question whether it was possible to eliminate Iran technically from the oil market, he said: “it does not need to be mentioned and repeated” , adding, “it is impossible to eliminate Iran from oil market”, noting that he had once and again repeated that any member of the organization could had its own programs and decisions but when they are in a team and group, they are not an individual any longer and they are each a member of the group, and the organization considers the interests of the group and consumers. He added that Iran’s case is not for the country itself and it would affect the whole OPEC, and what happens in Iran, Venezuela or Libya would have direct and shocking impact on the whole market and oil industry.
“The OPEC is not an organization by itself but it affects the whole oil industry in the world. Over 100m barrels of oil is approximately consumed daily in the world and the OPEC plays a significant role for supplying oil to the international market and its stability, and it has always succeeded in matching itself with the demands and capacities of the market,” he added.
On the claims of two countries for replacing Iran oil and the organization’s stand, Barkindo said: “The Organization makes collective decision and individualism has no room in decisions and its policy is that it makes collective decision by consulting with experts of secretariats of all member states.”
Iranian Minister Zanganeh after Barkindo’s remarks warned that the OPEC secretary-general has said that the OPEC risks the collapse in the near future because of unilateralism of some members.
This remark from Mr. Barkindo means that the collapse of the OPEC could pave the ground for turmoil and unleashing in the oil price, and even equipment which are used in the oil industry. Even some analysts and experts believe it might cause unexpected incidents which are currently unpredictable. And undoubtedly, consequences of the OPEC collapse may lead to a “tremor” in oil price in the market and no country can remain immune against this “tremor”.
By: Hamid Reza Naghashian
