Alexander Novak on a working visit in Iran
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak arrived in the capital of Iran, Tehran, on a two-day working visit. During the first day of the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister toured several Iranian oil and gas equipment-making plants and discussed the prospects for cooperation in the fuel and energy and the transport sectors.
As co-chair of the Permanent Russian-Iranian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, Alexander Novak met with co-chair of the commission Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji.
Alexander Novak made it clear that the leaders of Russia and Iran kept the implementation of critically important joint infrastructure projects in transport and energy under their personal control.
“The oil-and-gas industry is vital to our respective countries’ economies. Strengthening bilateral cooperation in this industry will certainly help Russia and Iran improve economic stability. We see great potential for exchanging experience in implementing projects in the production, transport and refining of hydrocarbons,” Alexander Novak said in his opening remarks.
The participants touched on expanding Russian oil and gas companies’ participation in developing projects in Iran and cooperation within OPEC+ and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Gas should have its rightful place in the global energy balance, which, in turn, is a key factor for achieving climate goals, Alexander Novak said.
The parties discussed scientific and technical cooperation in the fuel and energy complex and pipeline transport, as well as cooperation in electricity and nuclear power engineering and renewable energy sources.
Alexander Novak thanked Javad Owji for the invitation to come to Tehran and to take part in the opening of the 27th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemistry Exhibition, as well as the Russian-Iranian Energy Business Forum opening on May 17.
Alexander Novak closed the first day’s programme by holding a meeting of the working group of the North-South International Transport Corridor with the Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, Mehrdad Bazrpash. The participants discussed upgrading and expanding the North-South ITC and implementation of the project for building the Rasht-Astara railway line.
They also discussed matters involved in agreeing on the terms of implementing the tripartite agreement between Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan on cooperation in expanding railway infrastructure and freight traffic on the North-South ITC’s western route, the status of the implementation of the Garmsar - Inche Burun railway route’s power system, and ways of fast-tracking customs control in Iran for Russian automobile transport.
