Qassemi meets Venezuelan, Algerian counterparts in Vienna

  Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi, who is in Vienna to take part in the 163rd Ordinary Conference of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil ministers, held separate meetings with his Venezuelan and Algerian counterparts to discuss mutual cooperation. Qassemi and the Algerian's Minister for Energy and Mines Yousef Yousefi and Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez exchanged views on the current situation of global oil markets. They also called for the expansion of mutual cooperation. Earlier this month, Qassemi announced that Iran is still the second largest crude producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Qassemi's remarks came after some western media outlets claimed that Iran has declined to the fifth rank in the oil cartel. "Iran remains the second largest oil producer of OPEC right behind Saudi Arabia," the Iranian oil minister said at the time. "We do not confirm a fall in Iran's oil production and this is quite untrue," Qassemi added.