that Iran will nominate one of its own to become the secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Iraq, Ecuador and Saudi Arabia have already said they will have candidates as well. The next day, Qasemi was in Baghdad where he met with Deputy Prime Minister Hussein ash-Shahristani. After the meeting, Shahristani said Qasemi told him Iran would support Iraq’s candidate. Qasemi later talked to reporters about his meetings in Baghdad. He did not confirm what Shahristani had said. And he did not deny it. But on Tuesday, the Mehr news agency reported that Iran was nominating Gholam-Hossain Nozari, oil minister under President Ahmadi-nejad from 2007 to 2009, to be OPEC secretary general.