TEHRAN – Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has sent a letter to OPEC President Suhail Mohammed Al Marzouei calling for the organization’s support for members targeted by sanctions, Shana reported on Thursday.

In the letter, Zanganeh asked Mazrouei to include a separate agenda item for the June OPEC meeting entitled “OPEC Ministerial Conference support to the Member Countries that are under illegal, unilateral and extraterritorial sanctions.”

“I would like to ... seek OPEC’s support in accordance with Article 2 of the OPEC Statute, which emphasizes safeguarding the interests of member countries individually and collectively,” Zanganeh wrote.

Zanganeh further noted that in case of any reduction in Iran's share of the oil market as a result of the U.S. sanctions, the country should be allowed to return to its normal level as soon as the sanctions are lifted again.

OPEC's 174th ministerial meeting is due to be held on June 22 in Vienna.

EF/HJ