Tehran, Iran, May 2
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Director of the National Iranian Oil Company's International Affairs Mohsen Qamsari said that South Africa is seeking signing MoUs with Iran in various energy sectors.
South Africa is seeking to buy oil products, gas, crude oil, and petrochemicals, as well as to cooperate in projects, he said, SHANA news agency reported May 2.
In response to the question whether Iran is currently selling South Africa crude oil in single shipments, Qamasari asserted that there is no relationship between the two countries regarding energy trade.
Pointing out that South Africa has been a traditional customer of the Iranian oil, he said that the South African oil company Engen is seeking Iran's crude oil, but since the related port is under lease by Shell, they cannot take any oil there.
On April 28, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh met with South African Minister of Energy Joemat Pettersson to discuss oil and gas trade.
Speaking after the meeting, Zanganeh said that Iran and South African are willing to boost cooperation in these two sectors.
South Africa used to import crude oil from Iran until 2012. Before stopping the import in that year, the country bought 68,000 barrels of crude per day from Iran.
Mehdi Sepahvand is Trend Agency's journalist in Iran, follow him on Twitter: @mehdisepahvand