Iran's OPEC governor has slammed the latest tweet of U.S. President Donald Trump in which he ordered OPEC to bring down oil prices, the news agency of Iran's Oil Ministry, Shana, said Thursday.
Shana posted the full message of Hossein Kazempour Ardebili to Trump, in which the senior Iranian energy official asked the U.S. president to 'pls stop,' or the prices will go even higher.
In a tweet posted on Wednesday, Trump said: 'The OPEC Monopoly must remember that gas prices are up & they are doing little to help. If anything, they are driving prices higher as the United States defends many of their members for very little $’s. This must be a two way street. REDUCE PRICING NOW!'
Ardebili accused Trump of imposing sanctions on major oil producers, and then asking them to bring down the prices.
'Mr. President, may I ask you, what are you talking about? OPEC has not defined oil prices for the past 30 years, it is a financial market and regional hubs for marker crudes,' Ardebili retorted.
'Who does it?! You impose sanctions on major producers, founders of OPEC, and yet you are asking them to reduce the prices?! Since when did you start ordering OPEC! Your tweets have driven the prices up by at least $10/b [per barrel],' he continued.
'Pls stop it, otherwise it will go even higher!' Ardebili urged.
Here is the remainder of his message:
'Your Excellency٫ there are not that much oil available to respond to your orders; you are hammering on good guys in OPEC, which you are claiming, you are defending them. You are actually discrediting them and undermining their sovereignty, we expect you to be more polite.
'Our brothers in Saudi Arabia are a proud Muslim nation, educated and mature who do not let you talk with such rhetoric. And you say it is a two way road!? We are also in this highway.
'Mr. President, we may have some differences with our brothers but have learned how to live together; You want to escalate the situation, I advise you to rush to join Vienna talks of tomorrow?!'
The price of International benchmark Brent crude dropped slightly to $77.82 per barrel as of 09.30 a.m. local time (0630GMT) Thursday, compared to $77.94 on Wednesday.
By Hale Turkes
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr