TEHRAN – In his visit with Turkmenistan’s Minister of Energy and Industry Yusup Davudov, Iranian Minister of Energy Parviz Fattah called for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the electricity sector between the two nations.

Fattah asked Turkmenistan to increase its electricity export to Iran from the current 250 megawatts per year to 400 megawatts annually, the Persian service of IRNA reported here on Monday.

The Iranian minister also discussed with the Turkmen officials the issue of electricity swap between the two nations during the peak load seasons.

Based on agreements, Iran will purchase electricity from Turkmenistan in the first half of the year - peak season - and will export the commodity to its neighboring nation during the second half of the year.

The Iranian energy minister along with a number of high-ranking Iranian officials including foreign, economy and oil ministers accompany President Mahmud Ahmadinejad on his visits to the Central Asian republic. RA/MA END MNA