Venezuela puts in the OPEC agenda sanctions against Iran

Venezuela has requested the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to discuss on Thursday in Vienna the issue of the sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) against Iran because of its nuclear program, as they "run counter" to the purpose of keeping a dialogue between oil producing and consuming countries.

"We are worried about the issue of sanctions against Iran; the sanctions imposed by the EU openly counter their declared intention to keep a dialogue with oil producers," Venezuelan Minister of Petroleum and Mining Rafael Ramírez stressed on Tuesday.

"What kind of dialogue is that, as sanctions are unilaterally meted out for political reasons against an OPEC Member State? We will discuss this subject here," he added in reference to the first OPEC meeting this year.

He explained that Caracas had forwarded "a notice" to OPEC Secretary-General, Libyan Abdalla Salem El-Badri, to include the item in the agenda of the next meeting, according to Efe.