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Iran's Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad resigns amid ongoing US tensions
Mohsen Paknejad has resigned as Iran's Petroleum Minister, with Hamid Bovard appointed as acting minister. This resignation comes amidst intensified US-Iran tensions.
Mohsen Paknejad has stepped down as Iran’s Petroleum Minister, a development confirmed by Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, a deputy for communications at the Iranian president’s office, on the social media platform X. The resignation was accepted by President Masoud Pezeshkian, following Paknejad's prior request for resignation due to personal reasons, which was initially declined but later accepted by the president.
In an announcement on Sunday, Tabatabaei revealed that Hamid Bovard, who serves as the deputy petroleum minister and the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company, will take on the role of acting petroleum minister following this change. Paknejad had been appointed to the ministerial role in August 2024 after successfully securing a vote of confidence from the Iranian parliament.
The resignation occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Notably, on February 28, Iran increased restrictions in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, barring shipping vessels linked to Israel and the US from safely navigating through the area. These actions follow joint military strikes against Iranian territory, contributing to significant disruptions in oil exports to global markets, raising concerns over international shipping routes and energy supplies.
Concurrently, diplomatic efforts seem to be underway, as a senior Iranian official indicated that Tehran is evaluating US responses to Iran's recent proposals aimed at halting hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, stated that the United States had communicated its views through mediators regarding Iran's 'seven-day plan' presented by Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi last month during discussions in New York.
In his remarks, Gharibabadi emphasized that Iran is carefully reviewing these US views through the appropriate internal channels and confirmed that once a definitive Iranian response is established, actions will be coordinated via the designated channels. He also mentioned that Iran is preparing for various scenarios, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the current geopolitical climate.
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Edited with AI assistance.
Featured image: AI-generated representative image.