Iran: Trump tweeting about oil prices is driving prices up

Friday, June 29, 2018, Vol. 42, No. 26

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's representative to OPEC says U.S. President Donald Trump should stop tweeting about wanting lower oil prices, saying that doing so has the opposite effect.

Hossein Kazempour Ardebili was quoted by the oil ministry's website Thursday as telling Trump to "please stop," adding that "with your frequent and indecent tweets oil prices have gone up 10 dollars."

Trump has repeatedly called on the oil cartel to reduce prices. On Wednesday he tweeted that OPEC is "doing little to help," adding that, "if anything, they are driving prices higher."

Tehran blames rising prices on U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran and Venezuela, founding members of the cartel. Last month, members of OPEC agreed to pump an additional 1 million barrels of crude daily, a move that should help contain prices.