Iran has thrown its support behind moves to bolster oil prices, but has stopped short of saying it will curb its own output, according to a report.The apparent support from the strategic Opec member state comes after Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Venezuela earlier this week agreed to freeze output at January levels, but only if other producers also agree to do so.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said after a meeting on Wednesday in Tehran with counterparts from Iraq, Qatar and Venezuela that Iran is “happy to accommodate any action to stabilise the market and support (oil) price recovery,” according to a translation of a report from Iranian Oil Ministry news agency Shana.

Zanganeh welcomed what he said were the first steps in co-operation between Opec and non-Opec nations in a process that is ultimately aimed at bolstering up the oil price.

However, there was no commitment from Iran to actually keep its own output at January levels.

Reuters reported a $2-per-barrel rise in the oil price after Zanganeh’s comments.

Initial signs on Tuesday and early on Wednesday were that Iran was unlikely to budge on its output, having committed to a significant ramp-up of production since international sanctions were lifted last month.

Zanganeh was quoted by Shana as saying on Tuesday: “What is important is that, first, the market is oversupplied, and, second, that Iran will not overlook its quota.

Iranian newspaper Shargh quoted the country’s Opec envoy Mehdi Asali as saying: “Asking Iran to freeze its oil production level is illogical … when Iran was under sanctions, some countries raised their output and they caused the drop in oil prices.

“How can they expect Iran to co-operate now and pay the price? We have repeatedly said that Iran will increase its crude output until reaching the pre-sanctions production level.”

Iran’s crude output is currently in the region of 3 million barrels per day.

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