UAE leaves OPEC in blow to global oil producers’ group

The United Arab Emirates said it was quitting OPEC, dealing a blow to the oil producers' group ​as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations.

The exit of the UAE - one of the group's biggest producers - weakens ‌OPEC's control over global oil supplies and widens a rift between the UAE and its neighbour, Saudi Arabia, effectively the leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

In his first public comments since the announcement, UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters in ​a telephone interview that the decision was taken after examining the country's energy strategies.

He said the UAE had not discussed the issue with any other country.

"This ​is a policy decision, it has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production," ⁠Mazrouei said.