Iran's Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, the longest-serving governor in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has stepped down, Energy Intelligence reported Tuesday, citing industry sources.
Ardebili has been replaced by Mohammad Ali Khatibi, previously the deputy director for international affairs at state-run National Iranian Oil Co., Energy Intelligence reported, without saying why Ardebili left the post.
Khatibi's experience in the oil industry goes back to the 1980s, when he first joined Iran's oil ministry. Later, he was in charge of pricing and development at NIOC's international affairs unit and attended several OPEC meetings, according to the report.
Iran is the second-largest OPEC member, presently pumping about 4 million barrels a day of crude oil.