TEHRAN - Iran’s Oil Minister and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister have emphasized deepening bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector and discussed avenues to broaden energy collaboration.

According to Shana, during a meeting on Tuesday (May 20) with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad highlighted the ongoing session of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Economic Committee and its diverse agenda. He said the committee could significantly boost trade exchanges between the two countries.

Paknejad emphasized that constructive engagement with neighboring countries—particularly Turkmenistan, a “friendly and brotherly nation”—has always been a priority in Iran’s foreign policy. He added that the current administration is firmly committed to expanding energy ties with Turkmenistan.

He pointed to the swift implementation of the gas swap deal through Iran that delivers Turkmen gas to Turkey, expressing hope that other energy-related agreements—such as direct gas imports from Turkmenistan—would advance at a similar pace.

Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister and Head of Cabinet, Rashid Meredov, noted that Iran and Turkmenistan have historically maintained strong ties. In recent years, he said, relations have entered a new phase, with both sides eager to expand cooperation across various sectors.

Meredov identified three key areas of cooperation with Iran: gas exports to Iran, joint development of compressor stations and pipelines, and gas swaps to third countries via Iranian territory. He said Turkmenistan currently produces over 80 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, a substantial portion of which could be exported in collaboration with Iran.

He described the swift launch of the Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkey gas swap as a testament to the strong partnership between the two nations and stated, “Based on this positive experience, we believe there is significant potential to further expand energy cooperation. We also have ambitious plans for increasing gas exports to Iran.”

EF/MA