No need for OPEC ceiling change: Iran

VIENNA: OPEC should not raise its oil output ceiling when it meets on Thursday, Iran's OPEC governor told Reuters on Tuesday.

"The first and most important issue is we agree to stick to the 30 million (barrels per day)," Mohammad Ali Khatibi said. "If this ceiling needs to be changed, we need strong justification."

Khatibi was asked if he thought a higher ceiling was needed. "I don't think so, because we produced more than the market needed in the first half," he replied.

"The performance of the world economy, compared to our last meeting, is worse," Khatibi said. "Therefore we should stick to the 30 million (bpd) and we do not need to produce more."

"Who is going to consume more? Europe? Europe is negative - it is going to consume less."