TEHRAN – Senior energy officials of Iran and Tajikistan have stressed their willingness to expand energy ties between the two countries, Shana reported.

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad discussed ways of expanding mutual cooperation with Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan Daler Juma in a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

Speaking at the meeting, Paknejad said capable Iranian companies are ready to enter Tajikistan and Central Asian oil industry’s upstream and downstream activities.

Referring to the cultural, language, civilizational, and historical commonalities of the two countries of Iran and Tajikistan, the oil minister said that expanding economic relations with the friendly and brotherly country of Tajikistan, especially in the energy sector, is of significant importance.

Paknejad continued that some effective steps have already been taken for expanding economic relations with Tajikistan which is hoped to be strengthened in the future. 

Elsewhere, the official said that Iranian exploration and production companies with high capabilities are ready to enter Tajikistan and Central Asia’s oil and gas market.

Juma for his part emphasized developing bilateral economic cooperation, particularly in the oil and gas sector, saying: “In 2023, the ceiling of trade exchanges between Iran and Tajikistan reached 300 million dollars, and based on forecasts, it seems that this figure will increase by 60 percent in the current year.”

The Tajik minister noted that trade of crude oil and oil products between the two countries could double their trade exchanges, adding: “We hope that during the visit of the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Tajikistan, the necessary preparations for expanding trade with Iran in the oil and gas sector will be made.”

He noted that a significant portion of Tajikistan’s crude oil and petroleum products’ daily needs are currently met through imports adding: “Tajikistan has two oil refineries with a refining capacity of 500,000 tons per year to ensure its energy security.”

“We are interested in having Iranian companies actively participate in Tajikistan’s domestic market,” he continued.

The Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan thanked the efforts of Iran’s Oil Ministry for training Tajikistan’s oil and gas industry specialists and requested the Iranian Oil Minister to provide the necessary assistance for conducting advanced courses.

Furthermore, he called for deploying Iranian knowledge-based companies’ capabilities for exploration, development, and production from Tajikistan’s oil and gas fields.

Juma also formally invited Paknejad and Iranian oil industry experts to visit Tajikistan.

In the end, Iran’s Oil Minister emphasized maximum assistance and cooperation with Tajikistan's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources.

EF/MA