[JURIST] National Iranian Oil Co. [corporate website] Director of International Affairs Hojatollah Ghanimi Fard [profile, in Persian] derided US bill HR 6074 [materials] on Saturday, calling it "inexpert" and "a projection of US economic problems" in an interview with Shana [Shana.ir report], the news service of the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum [official website, in Persian]. The proposed legislation passed the US House of Representatives [JURIST report] by a wide margin last week and would bring OPEC [official website] members under the authority of US antitrust laws. AFP has more. The Iranian news service FARS has local coverage.

The bill would authorize the US Department of Justice to file charges against OPEC countries for allegedly restricting oil supplies and price-fixing. President George W. Bush has threatened a veto, but the House could override that with a two-thirds majority vote.