TEHRAN - Energy officials from Iran and Russia emphasized expanding and developing bilateral cooperation in the field of gas technologies.

Director of the Corporate Planning of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hossein-Ali Mohammad Hosseini in a meeting with the energy officials of the Russian Federation stressed the need to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the gas industry.

He said the two sides should identify the capacities and opportunities for more cooperation and coordination in the field.

Mohammad Hosseini pointed to the willingness of Iran to expand relations with Russia in the energy sector and said the country welcomes the suggestion of Russia’s Ministry of Energy on setting up a specialized panel discussion in the fields of digitization, monitoring, and analyzing data in the Russia Energy Week and also in Energy Congress in St. Petersburg.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the NIGC director emphasized the need for sharing common experiences in areas such as reducing the amount of gas loss and improving gas installations' safety against sabotages and terrorist attacks and added that Iran enjoys significant capacities for exporting, importing, refining and transmitting gas and is ready to enhance its cooperation with Russia in this field.

The representatives and authorities of the Russian Federation emphasized the need to identify capacities and opportunities for more coordination.

Setting up a joint research center in the gas sector and also a gas hub in northern Iran as well as trading in gas and electricity sectors were among the other topics discussed by the two sides at the meeting.

Earlier this month, Mojtaba Damirchilou, the secretary-general of the Eurasian Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed to establish an energy corridor from Russia passing through Iran to the Persian Gulf.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 28th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition (Iran Oil Show 2024), Damirchilou said according to the geographical location and existing infrastructure in Iran, the capacity is available to pay attention to this issue, as regional countries are also interested in cooperating with Iran in this regard.

The use of existing infrastructure and the creation of new infrastructure to reach regional markets should be considered

constructive cooperation has been started to this end and we have a clear vision, the official stated.

He also noted that there is cooperation between Iran and the regional countries in the field of energy export, swap, and transit.

There have been long-standing ties between Iran and the countries of the Eurasian region, as these regions have extensive connections with Iran, the official stated.

The official went on to say that Iran has energy ties with all the countries of the Eurasian region, explaining that these countries are either oil and gas producers and exporters or energy consumers.

Iran's energy networks are connected with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, Damirchilou noted, adding that effective communication between Iran and neighboring countries is underway.

“In the field of exporting petroleum products and petrochemical products, there are many capacities and a clear perspective could be imagined,” he said.

As for investment and cooperation, such as the development of oil and gas fields, a constructive understanding has been formed between Iran and Russia, as several contracts are being implemented, he said, noting that under the new conditions of Russia due to the oil embargoes on the country, a new field of cooperation has been formed.

In the Iran Oil Show 2024, some companies from the Eurasian states were present to get familiar with the potential of Iran, and efforts were made to establish professional connections between the experts and representatives of Iranian and Eurasian companies, the official stated.

Inaugurated on Wednesday, May 8, Iran OilShow 2024 was open to visitors at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground until Saturday, May 11.

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