Defending his nomination by President Raeisi as the new Iranian Minister of Petroleum on Wednesday, Mr. Owji underlined strong diplomacy and cementing international relations in the oil and gas sector by using the capacity of regional international organizations including the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) for maintaining and recapturing Iran’s share and status in the oil global markets.

He added: "Our effort will be to expand cooperation with neighboring countries and the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea littoral states to explore joint fields and form joint ventures."

“Bolstering the governing position of the Ministry of Petroleum as a representative of the administration in applying the principle of ownership over oil and gas resources, separating the governing and holding role of the Ministry of Petroleum from the National Oil Company and clarifying the financial relationship between the administration and the petroleum ministry as well as developing the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) statute are included in my plan as the new petroleum minister,” he said.

Owji further underscored the role of the petroleum industry in Iran’s economic battle in the face of sanctions, saying, "The oil industry is at the forefront of the country's economic front in the face of sanctions and will make every effort to counter sanctions and maximize crude oil and gas condensate sales."

Top Challenges, Priorities

Saying that the oil industry is one of the main economic advantages of the country, the proposed petroleum minister noted the 95% share of this industry in the country's energy supply and its important share in GDP and its significant role in the country's economic development, saying: “Areas of sale of oil and petroleum products, petrochemical, supply of goods and attracting foreign investors in the industry are the arenas of our daily jihad with global arrogance.”

Furthermore, he said enhancing production from joint oil and gas fields, fighting the sanctions on the oil industry, supporting domestic manufacturing, boosting gas delivery to rural areas, preventing burning of associated petroleum gases, sustainable fuel supply for power plants, observing social responsibility standards, preventing sale of crude items, exerting efforts to attract foreign and domestic investors and completing the value chain are other areas he would be specially focused on during his tenure as Iranian Minister of Petroleum.