Iran & Russia Energy Cooperation Thwarts US Sanctions

Iranian-Russian energy focused cooperation would thwart US sanctions, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow, Mahmoudreza Sajjadi, stated.

He said on the sideline of an Iran-Russia inter-governmental commission in Tehran that regarding the world economic situation and countries need for energy, oil and gas production and exportation goes beyond a merely economic matter and has political as well as security dimensions.

Sajadi pointed out that being more influential on global energy markets, energy-consuming countries and producers, as well as those emerging as energy transit hub interacting actively to each other.

Iranian ambassador to Moscow noted that Turkey is turning itself into the world's largest energy hub by boosting its strategic importance in connecting rival energy projects.

Some experts believed that rapprochement of Turkey-Armenia was based on Turkey's international energy policy to gain its said aims, cited Sajjadi.

Russia also has realized the importance of Turkey's geopolitical role in the region and invited it to play a role in South Stream gas pipeline project, the ambassador added.

A Golden Opportunity:

Russia has scientific capabilities and modern technologies in production and exportation of oil and gas, and Iran is sitting atop huge energy reserves, so the two countries cooperation will lead to more energy-focused ties and determining role in world energy markets, said Sajjadi.

While the efforts by the United States of America to impose sanctions represent its hostility toward Iran, Tehran-Moscow energy cooperation is a golden opportunity for our country to face those efforts and flourish its oil and gas industry. 

"I think the Russian side is more interested to develop the cooperation, because it assumes energy issue as a strategic one and tries a lot to develop its relations with other countries," he added.

By sending its energy minister to Iran, Russia shows its willingness to cooperate more with Iran in energy sector, so we should take advantage of the provided opportunity and utilize it in favor of our national interests, he said.

Asked about Iran-Russia relations in Gas Exporting Countries Forum, he said "the preliminary talks with Russian side were desirable."

He concluded that the energy's future depended directly on natural gas industry, so we should boost our relations with influential gas-producing countries to stand on our deserved global place in gas exports. - Shana