TEHRAN - Touching upon the importance of oil market stability for the U.S., senior energy expert Omid Shokri says it is not easy to drive Iran’s oil export to zero in short term.

Following the brutal killing of Saudi Journalist at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, There have been lots of tensions between Saudi rulers and their western allies particularly the U.S.

The U.S. President Donald Trump has had different contradictory and weak stances towards the scandal. Despite threatening serious punishments against killers of the Saudi journalist at the same time Trump calls the Saudi regime as an important ally for confronting Iran.
The issue was discussed with Omid Shokri Kalehsar, a senior energy security analyst and international relations expert in Washington. 

Referring to the significance of oil market stability he said, “Stability in world oil market is in favor of U.S. Any increase in oil market directly affect energy security in the U.S.

 U.S. planning to drop Iran oil export to zero but in short term it will not be easy to drop Iran oil export. At long term with sufficient oil supply by major oil exporter Iran’s role in world oil market may decrease, Iran needs to keep its share in regional and world oil market. Iran needs to play active energy diplomacy if interested to keep and increase its share in regional and world oil market. It can be seen that Iran’s oil export will decrease more than %50 in contrast to post nuclear agreement.”

Asked about the possible effect of the recent tensions between Riyadh and Washington over the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Shokri said, “Current political tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, gives an opportunity to Saudi Arabia to export more oil to reduce Iran’s share in world market.

Current tension between U.S. and Saudi Arabia, over Khashoggi hold a potential to affect world oil market but stability in oil market is U.S. priority and also U.S. trying to drop Iran oil export to zero.  As mentioned before it will be hard to U.S. to drop Iran oil export to zero. I think U.S. and Saudi due to mutual interest are interested to manage any tension with aimed of decreasing Iran’s role in world oil market. Saudi has promised U.S. to buy weapons from U.S. and value of weapon agreements is above $100 billion. This agreement is very important for U.S. economy and creation of job opportunities for U.S. workers.”