The U.S. sanctions against Tehran and Moscow will help bolster Russian-Iranian ties, according to Iran's deputy oil minister for gas affairs, Hamid Reza Araghi.
Araghi's remarks came during an interview with Russian Sputnik news agency held on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week from Oct. 3 to 6.
'[U.S. President Donald] Trump’s threats and the U.S. stance against Tehran and Moscow sets the ground for the development of energy cooperation between Iran and Russia,' Araghi said in the interview, parts of which were re-published Saturday on the website of Shana, the news outlet of the Iranian Oil Ministry.
According to the story, Araghi, who is also head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said that the U.S. sanctions against Iran would only further the cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
'The U.S. has been implementing any sanctions that it intends to impose. It has ordered all the banks, insurers, airlines, ect. to boycott Iran… but we are a deep-seated thousand-year-old civilization, and I think that with the help of the government, the leadership and the people of Iran, these threats will turn into an opportunity, and we will see the prosperity of the country. Undoubtedly, these conditions will increase the cooperation between Iran and Russia,' he said.
The deputy oil minister added that the two countries had 'good prospects for cooperation', citing as an example the 2016 memorandum signed with Russia’s Gazprom, based on which, the two sides agreed to work in five committees.
“The five committees that were set up between Iran and Gazprom met in Tehran and drew up minutes. Committees and their members were identified, and now there is a relationship between the two countries in terms of technology transfer. Gazprom is interested in investing in Iran's oil and gas sector,' he added.
Araghi also said that both Iran and Russia were members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 11 major natural gas producers including Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
According to the oil minister, the fact that Iran and Russia boast the world’s largest gas reserves does not cause the two countries to compete in the gas sector.
On the contrary, he said, 'this led to the formation of GECF, which is sometimes mistakenly called the Gas OPEC, which is not right, because the forum does not affect gas pricing'.
'The body was an introduction to the prospects for gas, natural gas development, consumption and production, as well as strategies in the world in the coming years.
'The cooperation between Iran and Russia, and formation of GECF, led to an information concentration in the world, and a forum on the future of gas in 2030 was set up during the Russian Energy Week,' he added.
-Political ties will improve as well
Araghi went on to say that Iran had made significant progress in the field of compressed natural gas (CNG) and conversion of fuel to gas.
'Today, in Iran, automobiles consume roughly 20 million cubic meters of CNG per day. Representatives of Gazprom have travelled to Iran to visit factories producing gas tanks and nozzles, and are about to ink MoUs in this regard with Iranian partners,' he added.
The deputy minister also underlined the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of technology and research.
'Speaking of technologies, implementation of gas pipelines, smart packages over the past five years between Iranian and Russian companies in the field of research on mercaptan production, which is now being presented as a technical knowledge in Assaluyeh and, thankfully, today, mercaptan is being produced in Iran. This technology is only available in France, Russia, Iran and maybe one more country,' he said.
'Regarding gas turbines, we have held talks with a Russian company. In Russia, they have been able to commercialize this technology. Negotiations have taken place between Iran's OTC and Russian companies, as well as the issue of smart pigging,' he added.
The Iranian official believes that the political relationship between Iran and Russia will also be 'firmer day by day'.
'The U.S ' stance toward Iran and Russia helped to unite the two countries better and they have been able to work together on a wide range of sectors including banking, oil, executive and technology grounds,' he concluded.
By Hale Turkes
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr