TEHRAN - Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji says signing the agreement for transferring Russian gas to Iran is the masterpiece of the 13th administration's energy diplomacy which can pave the way for an economic revolution and ensure the region's energy security through Iran.

Speaking on the sidelines of the weekly ministerial meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday, the minister told reporters that less than one month ago, some documents were signed by Iran and Russia under which part of Russian gas would be transferred to Iran to be used for consumption, export and ensuring the neighboring countries energy security.

“I can tell you confidently that the Russian Gas Transfer to Iran Document can pave the way for an economic revolution, ensuring the energy security of the neighboring countries through Iran,” Oji continued.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he said that fuel delivery to power plants and gas stations is stable without any problems adding as much as 265 million liters of liquid fuel is being distributed across the country each day, worth 67 billion dollars annually.

Iran and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the transfer of Russian gas to Iran in late June.

The MOU is a big step towards turning Iran into a regional gas hub and fulfilling the promise of the late President Ebrahim Raisi in this regard.

In the last days of the 13th government, the Ministry of Oil managed to sign an MOU with Russia to make Iran the gas hub of the region; an action that is in line with the fulfillment of the promise of the late president.

According to this report, another MOU was signed in Tehran on Thursday between the special representative of the Russian Federation and Iran's oil minister with the aim of developing and strengthening the cooperation of the two countries in the field of gas, according to which the export of Russian gas to Iran is to be carried out.

In the meantime, Iran's Acting President Mohammad Mokhber emphasized that the signing of the strategic MOU for the transfer of gas from Russia to Iran is very important for the two countries and the region, and said that Tehran-Moscow's firm determination in line with the improvement of relations has an important message for the world and the path of gas cooperation has begun between the two countries will lead to greater understandings and contracts.

During a meeting with Alexey Miller, CEO of Gazprom and special representative of the President of the Russian Federation, on Thursday, Mokhber stated that the signing of the MOU on the export of Russian gas to Iran is very important for improving the security and economy of the region.

He emphasized the need for accelerating the completion of the north-south corridor and the Rasht-Bandar Abbas railway line to connect the countries of the region to this corridor.

The principal framework for gas transfer from Russia to Iran has been on the agenda since a long time ago and the late president insisted on its finalization.

According to Oji, there is the potential for changing the MOU into a contract in a short time, which will be a turning point for both countries.

“With this agreement, Iran’s share of trade will rise causing changes in international balances. This agreement will act as a revolution in the energy and industry scene of the region,” Oji said.

This MOU between the holders of 60 percent of the global gas reserves, as clean energy, has been signed based on mutual interests in the international frameworks and will soon enter the contract and implementation stage, the minister added.

EF/MA