TEHRAN - Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev has visited Iran on top of a delegation to hold talks with the Islamic Republic’s energy officials and discuss expansion of ties.

During his stay in Tehran, Mustafayev met with Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji as well as Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian and discussed areas for cooperation in a variety of sectors.

After the meeting with the Azeri delegation on Thursday, Oji told the press that Iran and Azerbaijan are going to expand their cooperation in various energy sectors, Shana reported.

Later on, Mehrabian also stated that the two countries have discussed major joint electricity projects like synchronizing power grids and co-constructing power plants.

We discussed key issues for removing existing obstacles and expanding the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan in various fields including the joint development of hydropower plants, the Energy Ministry’s new portal Paven quoted Mehrabian as saying on Friday.

“We also discussed the project for synchronization of electricity networks of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan and the two sides called for the removal of obstacles and implement the project as soon as possible,” the Iranian minster added.

Iran and Azerbaijan have been taking serious measures for the expansion of economic ties over the past few years.

Mustafayev had also visited Tehran back in November 2021, when he met with senior Iranian officials including Oji to seek expansion of energy ties.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Oji said positive talks were held and constructive agreements were reached between the two sides.

According to the oil minister, the two sides had agreed to cooperate in swapping gas from other countries in the region including Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan.

The development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea was another subject discussed during the meeting with the Azerbaijani delegation, and according to Oji, initial talks were held in this regard and expert delegations of the two countries were continuing the negotiations.

He expressed hope that in the near future, good agreements would be signed with Azerbaijan in the field of oil, gas, and development of Caspian oil and gas fields.

Mustafayev for his part told the media that the Republic of Azerbaijan and Iran are friendly and neighboring countries and there is a historical connection between the people of the two countries.

He said that there is successful cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in all areas, especially energy, adding: "Cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in the oil and gas sector has been fruitful."

"During the meeting with the Iranian Oil minister, the ways of expanding cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector were discussed," he said, adding: "We discussed a number of new projects in the energy sector and I believe new documents will be signed in the near future."

Mustafayev pointed to the presence of a group of Azerbaijani experts in his accompanying delegation and said: "This group is going to continue the talks between the two sides in detail.”

EF/MA