The policies of oil producing nations are not the outcome of arbitrary strategies but rather, the coherent articulation of priorities that can be predicted.

The political climate of the Middle East and all other OPEC nations has a direct impact on global oil supply levels and oil market perceptions. As regional confrontations and tensions rise and subside, their translation into the oil market can be both immediate and dramatic. Oil related matters are a central feature of the political landscapes of these nations. And politics has always been an integral facet of the oil industry.