Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 12 / Trend's T. Jafarov /
Iran put forward a candidate for the post of OPEC Secretary General, but he has little chance of getting the necessary number of votes. One can even say that he has no chance at all, an expert on oil and gas, former head of the International Relations Department of the Iranian National Oil Company Dr. Parviz Mina told Trend.
"Taking into account the strong competition between Iran and the Arab countries for the post of 2013 OPEC Secretary General, as well as pressure on the country from the U.S and European countries' applied in connection with its nuclear programme, Iran has low chances of getting votes."
In a letter to the current leadership in June 2012, Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi introduced the candidacy of former Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari for the post of 2013 OPEC Secretary General.
OPEC's current head, Abdalla Salem El-Badri will retire on December 31, 2012. Besides Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq have nominated candidates. Ecuador previously nominated a candidate, but later it withdrew its bid.
A new secretary-general for 2013 will be elected at today's OPEC meeting in Vienna.
Mina said that the candidates from Saudi Arabia and Iraq have higher chances of winning.
He said that if the Iranian candidate becomes OPEC Secretary General, the Iranian role in the organization will increase and the implementation of OPECS's programs will be effective.
Iran, as one of OPEC founders and the second largest oil producer, chaired the organization in 2011. The 157th OPEC meeting was held in the Austrian capital. Around 12 members attended it. Iranian Oil Minister Seyed Masoud Mirkazemi was elected as chairman of the organization, while Iraqi Oil Minister became his deputy.
Iranian Fuad Rouhani was OPEC first secretary general from 1961 to 1964.