BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. Iran's cooperation with neighboring countries in the oil and gas sector is based on constructive cooperation, not preventive competition, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister and the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Mohsen Khojasteh Mehr said at a press conference in Tehran on May 14 answering a question from Trend correspondent.
The CEO noted that a clear example of Iran's energy diplomacy is the swap of Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan through Iran.
“Thus, several meetings were held between Iran and Azerbaijan in the oil and gas sector last year. These meetings resulted in the start of the swap of Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan via Iran,” he added.
According to Khojasteh Mehr, during the recent visit of the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi to Azerbaijan, officials of the Iranian oil sector also held talks with their Azerbaijani counterparts.
“Although a number of agreements in the oil sector were reached during the visit, the implementation stage has not yet begun,” the deputy minister said.
On November 28, 2021, a tripartite contract on the swapping of 1.5-2 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan through Iran per year was signed between Iran and Azerbaijan in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on the sidelines of the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The implementation of the contract began on January 1, 2022.
On March 11, 2022, the 15th meeting of the State Commission on Cooperation in Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Spheres between Azerbaijan and Iran was held in Baku.
After the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing new communication links between the East Zangazur economic region and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the territory of Iran, as well as, a number of documents have been signed between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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