ANKARA: Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said some members of oil producer group Opec were acting in accordance with US policies, Iran’s Khaneye Mellat news agency reported on Friday.

“Some members are interpreting the latest Opec decision on oil output differently ... and are acting in accordance with the policies of the US,” the agency quoted Zanganeh as saying.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed with Russia and other oil-producing allies in June to raise output from July, with Iran’s arch-rival Saudi Arabia pledging a “measurable” supply boost but giving no specific numbers.

Iran told Opec this month that no member country should be allowed to take over another member’s share of oil exports, expressing concern about a Saudi offer to pump more crude amid US sanctions on Iranian oil sales starting in November.

BA, Air France halt flights

British Airways and Air France said on Thursday they would halt flights to Iran from September for business reasons, months after US President Donald Trump announced he would re-impose sanctions on Tehran.

British Airways said it was suspending its London to Tehran service “as the operation is currently not commercially viable”.

BA, which is owned by Spanish-registered IAG, said its last outbound flight from London to Tehran will be on September 22 and the last inbound flight from Tehran will be on September 23.

Air France will stop flights from Paris to Tehran from Sept. 18 because of “the line’s weak performance,” an airline spokesman said.

“As the number of business customers flying to Iran has fallen, the connection is not profitable anymore,” the spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2018