TEHRAN (Iran News) – Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said after the 181st Meeting of the OPEC Conference that the main responsibility of the next petroleum minister is to help Iran return to the oil market and get our lost market share back which was caused by the sanctions.

I am happy that I have carried this huge burden of responsibility on my shoulder for years and I hope to put it down safely, properly and honestly. I asked all OPEC members to support next petroleum minister, he said.

About OPEC meeting, Zangeneh said it was an ordinary meeting of OPEC not an extraordinary one and we mostly focused on some paperwork such as approving financial reports and selecting the auditor. And, most technical reports are due to be presented in OPEC Plus meeting.

The decision on easing oil output cuts or increasing production is to be made in OPEC Plus meeting which will be held in hours, he added.

The OPEC’s decisions are mainly based on reaching consensus, he said, adding oil market condition has not created any differences.

Earlier Zangeneh spoke at the 181st Ordinary Meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ Conference after he received OPEC’s remarks honoring him for his contributions to the organization. In his remarks, he said, “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our distinguished Secretary-General, HE. Mohammad Barkindo and his able staff for this tasteful and humbling video documentary presentation. I thank you for all the kind words addressed to me.”

He continued, “Allow me to share with you, very briefly, my insight about the underlying reason for the success and durability of our Organization. In my view, OPEC is the only economic organization of the developing countries that directly and significantly impacts and shapes the world economy. OPEC was founded on the pillar of a golden principle. This golden principle was the key for OPEC to achieve unparalleled success in the last 60(sixty) years. Comprehension and acceptance of the need for cooperation within OPEC along with intra economic competition and even political conflict among OPEC member countries constitute that key golden principle.”

He added, “Agreeing to cooperate with one another within OPEC to secure national interests with overarching rule of wisdom in relations among OPEC members, despite tremendous ups and downs and major tensions and discords among member countries is the secret key to durability and success of our Organization in the last 60(sixty) years. In the meantime, we have all scored and benefited from being an OPEC member in the interest of our national development and our own peoples.”

He noted, “At the verge of being 70(seventy) years old, when the new government of President-elect His Excellency, Mr. Raisi, is about to be formed, I have decided to step aside from official public service and go to retirement. I ask all friends here and am confident that the same courtesies and cooperation that was accorded me during these long years will be accorded to my successor who will take office in less than two months from today.”

Meanwhile in a video message, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) praised Iran’s oil minister for his long presence in Iran’s Ministry of Oil at the 181st Ordinary Meeting of the OPEC Conference on Thursday.

The video message was recorded and played to honor Zangeneh’s final attendance at the OPEC ministerial meetings during the 181st Ordinary Meeting of the OPEC Conference held via videoconferencing on Thursday.

OPEC Secretary-General, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, said: “At this historic moment, I would like to take a few minutes of your time to reflect with deep appreciation and a touch of nostalgia on the historical contributions of his Excellency, Bijan Zangeneh of the Islamic Republic of Iran to OPEC during his long and illustrious career.”

“Indeed, we have a debt of gratitude to pay for his many years of dedicated service of excellence to this organization as head of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s delegation to OPEC,” the message reads.