Demand for Iranian crude oil has increased despite sanctions against the nation over its nuclear program, the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said here on Thursday.
IRNA News Agency quoted Ahmad Qalebani as saying that, "Sanctions have had no impact on Iran's oil exports, but rather the demand for the country's oil has increased."
The UN Security Council imposed a U.S.-engineered sanctions resolution against Iran in June.
Following the move, the United States, the European Union and a number of other countries imposed their own unilateral sanctions against Iran, mainly targeting the country's energy sector.
Qalebani further praised the Iranian oil minister's election as the rotating president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for the first time in 36 years.
"This issue will have a great impact on Iran's role in the world's energy sector...It can improve Iran's key role," the official added.
Iran, OPEC's second-largest oil producer, was unanimously elected as the next head of the group during a ministerial meeting in Vienna earlier in October.
Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi will assume the rotating presidency as of next year.