IRAN’S Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi has announced that 40bn dollars will be invested in the country’s joint oil and gas fields.
Explaining his plans for this joint development the oil minister said: ‘Considering the extensive area of the joint fields, their development needs heavy investment; therefore, the task can be accomplished by securing the needed capital from domestic as well as foreign sources.’
Qasemi added: ‘A part of the needed resources will definitely be secured from the country’s general budget but, for the remaining part, we will explore domestic sources that include private sector and the banking system’
Qasemi also spoke about issuing ‘participation bonds in foreign currency as well as in the rial’ (Iran’s national currency) as financial resources for the oil projects.
Iran’s OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) Governor, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, has also announced that OPEC ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting if global crude prices continue to fall.
Khatibi said on Friday August 5th that if oil prices keep falling, the OPEC ministers will hold a meeting to consult, but it is too early to decide whether there is a need for such an extraordinary meeting ‘since oil price fluctuations in the market are normal’ – according to the Iranian Oil Ministry’s official website.
He also warned that the economic problems of the United States and European countries are dragging crude oil prices down and noted that economic problems can have an impact on world oil demand.
‘The decrease in oil prices in a few days cannot be used as a criterion for making decisions about the future of the market, and a decision can only be made if the trend continues’ he said.
Iran officially took over the rotating presidency of OPEC for the first time in 36 years in January 2011.
The next ordinary general OPEC session is scheduled to be held on December 14th in Vienna.
Meanwhile, there are hopes that the joint Venezuelan-Iranian car plant, Venirauto, will reach its targets despite US economic sanctions.
The US penalties against Iran make it difficult to acquire spare parts, Rafael Bolivar, president of the multinational company said.
Despite difficulties caused by US economic sanctions against Iran, Venirauto expects to reach its goal of producing 16,000 vehicles a year of its Centauro and Turpial models in Venezuela, President Rafael Bolivar has announced.
The director of the assembly plant said that the trade embargo has caused shipping delays of raw materials to manufacture cars, something that also affects the supply of spares.
In a statement to fortnightly publication La Cumbre, Bolivar pointed out that Venirauto has mechanisms to circumvent ‘checkpoints’ that make it impossible to make payments for components in time, which is essential to manufacture automobiles and their parts.
‘We believe that we can bypass all those difficulties and guarantee 16,000 units a year, and we continue our efforts to produce an important number of vehicles this year,’ he said.
The official referred to the headway at the plant located in the San Vicente de Maracay industrial zone, Aragua State, which has so far assembled 2,600 vehicles, which exceeds the maximum peak of 2,225 units.
Iran is also stepping up its anti-piracy operations in the northern part of the Indian ocean which have been extremely effective.
The commander of the naval forces of the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran has noted the increasing piracy in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait over the past two years.
Admiral Habibollah Sayari said: ‘Since the beginning of the current year (March 2011), the army’s naval forces, despite 18 clashes with pirates on the periphery of the Gulf of Aden, have ensured a safe passage for all ships.
The Admiral was speaking at a fast-breaking dinner at the Manjil marine training command centre in Gilan Province on Friday evening August 5th, and said: ‘During this period, navy special task forces escorted 1,000 Iranian oil tankers and commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden.’
Speaking about the fight of 35 countries against pirates, he added: ‘Twelve 100-strong special teams are operating in the north of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in order to ensure the security of the country’s communication lines.
Admiral Sayari continued: ‘At the beginning of the year the navy was declared a strategic force by the commander-in-chief of all forces; 15 task forces were sent to international waters.
‘Four naval task forces have sailed 400,000 km, – ten times around the world – which shows the ability of the navy to stay at sea, especially in adverse weather conditions.’
According to IRNA, the Manjil marine training command centre is the only navy staff training centre in the country.
Meanwhile, one of Iran’s leading clerics, who is the head of the Imam Khomeyni Research and Educational Institute, Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi, has warned against the ‘evil’ use of Qisas, the Islamic law of retribution.
According to the report, addressing a religious gathering in the city of Qom in central Iran, Ayatollah Yazdi said: ‘According to logical as well as religious view Qisas is a legal right, however, due to evil persuasion and intention of revenge, this natural right may lose its spirit.’
He also talked about people’s rights: ‘There are some people who openly violate individuals’ rights in all spheres of social life; it will become very difficult to tolerate tyranny in this situation.’
He added: ‘Transgression of others’ rights and humiliation of individuals will lead all other people towards such deeds.’
This sentiment has not stopped the Iranian regime jailing another trade unionist.
The Ahvaz Appeals Court, Branch 13, has sentenced Ali Nejati to one year in prison.
Ali Nejati is one of the board members of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company Workers’ Trade Union.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this verdict has been handed down despite the fact that Ali Nejati has already served six months in the Fajr Prison of Dezful for the same charge.
While he was in prison, Ali Nejati was summoned to court to be tried again on the same charges for which he was behind bars.
But after his prison term was over, prosecutors attempted to try him again, but the charges were dismissed by the court since they were repetitive.
After the acquittal, because of the prosecutor’s objection, and pressure from intelligence officials, Ali Nejati’s case was once again referred to the appeals court at the provincial capital.
About three years ago, Ali Nejati was fired from his job at Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company. He had worked there for over 25 years.
Consequently, he has suffered financially and has lost the means to support himself.
Ali Nejati suffers from cardiac problems and clogged arteries and has undergone heart surgery. He has been receiving medical care for several months since his most recent operation.