Speaking to Shana, Qamsari said participation of private sector in marketing crude oil and oil products is a good idea provided it can buy the oil, transfer the money and sell it.

He denied that private sector had been barred from oil trade activities noting ‘I haven’t heard anything from Petroleum Minister on barring private sector from participation in selling oil.'

Earlier deputy minister of petroleum for international and commercial affairs Mansour Moazzami denied remarks made by the head of the Association of Exporters of Oil Products, Gas and Petrochemicals who had said ‘petroleum ministry has barred private sector from participation in oil trade activities following possible return of giant European and American companies to the country.’

Rising interactions with foreign oil companies does not mean preventing domestic private sector from activity in oil industry; Moazzami said adding Petroleum Ministry will continue using all the private sector potentials in different sections of oil industry in the framework of the rules governing the ministry’s activities.