Iran's oil minister admitted to hospital after suffering heart attack

Javad Owji's condition has been described as 'stable'

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji, left, meeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Tehran in June. Reuters

Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji was taken to hospital on Thursday after suffering from a heart attack, the Etemadonline news website reported.

Mr Owji's condition is “stable” the oil ministry said in a statement reported by the official Irna news agency.

“Javad Owji, the minister of oil, was admitted to a public hospital in Tehran following a heart attack which occurred on the sidelines of a government meeting and was caused by heavy work pressures,” the statement said.

“After necessary measures were taken by the medical staff, the minister's condition is currently stable.”

Mr Owji has served as the country's oil minister since August 2021, replacing Bijan Namdar Zangeneh.

Born in the city of Mashhad in 1966, he studied for a bachelor's degree in oil engineering from Petroleum University of Technology in Ahwaz.

He was the deputy oil minister and the head of the National Iranian Gas Company from 2009 to 2013, during the last term of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

His previous positions also included chairman of the board of supervision of production and gas refineries, and vice chairman of Petro Mofid Oil and Gas Development Holding.