Russia sees a deal on freezing oil output as possible regardless of Iran’s stance. “There is hope,” Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s press secretary, said following the latest conversation between Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and his Saudi counterparts. At least 16 nations including the world’s two largest crude oil producers will gather in Doha on April 17 to discuss freezing output at January levels in order to stabilize an oversupplied oil market. Saudi Arabia has said it would only commit to a production cap if Iran follows suit, a proposal that Iran’s oil minister has dismissed as “ridiculous.” Novak spoke to Saudi Petroleum Minister Ali al-Naimi by phone on Tuesday to discuss prospects for an oil production freeze, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said. Russia is hopeful that a deal can be reached, the person said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private […]