In BP’s first results call since the start of the Iran War on 28 February, newly appointed CEO Meg O’Neill said little about how the conflict might reshape the company’s long-term outlook. Pressed on whether the heightened risk would lead the UK major to target higher returns in the Middle East, she offered a cautious response.
Ms O’Neill noted that BP has been in the Middle East for more than 100 years saying the region remains “a core part of the company’s footprint.” As with all its multinational peers, BP is accustomed to operating in high-risk areas. Indeed, it expanded its presence in Iraq last year by signing a contract for further development of the Kirkuk field, one of the oldest fields in the Middle East that was discovered in 1927 by the Anglo-Persian Company that later became BP (MEES, 3 October 2025). (CONTINUED - 1040 WORDS)
