Iran's oil min likely to keep job, deputy sacked

* Nozari unlikely to follow ousted deputy Torkan

* Ahmadinejad to pick new cabinet by Aug. 18

By Simon Webb

DUBAI, June 23 (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister Gholamhossein Nozari was likely to keep his job in any new cabinet formed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian industry sources said on Tuesday.

The world's fifth-largest oil exporter has seen the worst unrest in 30 years after a disputed presidential election earlier this month. Deputy oil minister Akbar Torkan was replaced on Monday. Sources said he was sacked for political reasons.

Nozari is not politically affiliated to Torkan and there were no signs the minister would follow the deputy, sources said.

"I don't think the president would want to replace Nozari," one said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The president had lots of problems initially getting parliament to accept his choice for oil minister. I don't think he'll want any problems like that now."

Ahmadinejad appointed Nozari, a technocrat, to the job in 2007, in what was seen at the time as a presidential move to exert more control over the strategic ministry.