Iran mulls cheap oil exports to poor nations

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/OLI747531.htm

Iran mulls cheap oil exports to poor nations

TEHRAN, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Iran's oil ministry said on Monday it was studying a presidential proposal to sell cheap crude to poor countries -- a plan redolent of Venezuela's attempts to counter U.S. influence through cut-rate energy exports.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in April proposed strengthening the OPEC fund to lighten the burden of surging oil prices on poorer countries while ensuring that rich nations paid the full price.

Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh said the world's fourth biggest oil exporter was weighing up this idea.

"The president's proposal of selling cheap oil to poor countries is being studied and analysed," Vaziri-Hamaneh was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

[Tight_rope]

1. Subsidized Oil for the Poor...

Definitely, gets good points from me.

[bemildred]

2. I guess Hugo is spreading the word. nt

[jpkenny]

3. Iran needs to build up oil refining capacity and help build refineries in

those poor countries to which it wants to sell cheap oil. Cheap oil is nothing without the capacity to refine it for use. If Iran were to pay more attention to building refining capacity instead of nuke enrichment, they might be better off and it would really stick a thorn in the west's side.

Same thing goes for Hugo.

[Ghost Dog]

4. Way to go. Variable pricing depending on ability to pay. Fair Trade, Yeah.