TEHRAN - Iran and Turkey on Thursday expressed willingness to enhance cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in the gas industry, Shana reported.

During a meeting in Tehran, Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji and Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar discussed the expansion of cooperation between Tehran and Ankara in the energy sector and boosting bilateral trade, the report said.

Oji voiced Iran's readiness to expand relations with Turkey in the oil industry's upstream and downstream sectors.

He said Iran welcomes Turkish companies’ participation in projects of its oil industry.

Pointing to Turkish companies’ willingness to be involved in Iran’s upstream projects, particularly the development of oil fields, the official added that bilateral agreements and the $30 billion annual trade target underlined by the two countries’ presidents were also discussed during the meeting.

According to Oji, Bayraktar offered a list of Turkish companies, which are eager to engage in Iran’s oil projects.

Several oil contracts worth more than $33 billion have been recently signed with Iranian knowledge-based companies, said the oil minister, adding the energy sector can contribute largely to the achievement of Tehran-Ankara's $30 billion trade target.

Further in the meeting, Bayraktar said his visit to Tehran reveals Turkey’s firm determination to extend the contract on importing gas from Iran.

Gas plays a vital role in Turkey, as it meets the energy needs of a major part of the household, commercial, and industrial sectors of the country, he added.

“We are seeking to diversify our gas import routes,” pointed out the visiting energy minister, referring to Iran as one of the leading gas suppliers to Turkey.

The official pointed to Turkish companies’ investment in development projects of Iran’s gas fields and renovation of gas transmission infrastructure as one of the main topics he discussed with his Iranian counterpart.

The two sides will surely continue their talks, he concluded.

In 2001, Iran signed a 25-year gas export contract with its northwestern neighbor Turkey, which is set to expire in 2026.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Oji told reporters that negotiations officially started on Thursday between the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) and Turkish state-owned BOTAS Petroleum Pipeline Corporation on technical issues related to the contract's renewal.

Speaking to reporters, the Turkish minister said his country was willing to extend the contract.

Bayraktar said their discussions had focused on Turkish firms' investment in the development of the Iranian gas fields and the renovation of Iran's gas transfer infrastructure.

EF/