Iraq says to seek oil stability assurances from Iran

BAGHDAD Jan 18 (Reuters) - Speaking in his new role as president of OPEC, Iraq's Oil Minister Abdul-Kareem Luaibi said he will visit Iran on Thursday to discuss oil market stability and would ask Tehran for assurances that all countries will work to protect waterways and oil supplies.

His comments on Wednesday were a reference to threats from Tehran that it would stop oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on Iran's oil exports.

"I will go to Iran to encourage our brothers to express real and important assurances to the world that everyone is keen to protect the waterways and to protect the process of production and export of oil in the region," Luaibi said.

"Otherwise, anything less will affect the whole world and will affect the global economy," he said. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; writing by Patrick Markey; editing by Jason Neely)