Türkiye seeks to boost energy cooperation with Iran
TEHRAN
Energy Minister Alparaslan Bayraktar traveled to Iran to hold official talks to further boost the cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy.
In Tehran, Bayraktar met with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Mehrabian, and Oil Minister Javad Owji.
He visited Iran for the follow-up to the energy deals signed in January in Ankara during the eighth Türkiye-Iran High-Level Cooperation Council, Bayraktar said, adding that the two countries aim to increase the bilateral trade to $30 billion.
“There are many areas of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of energy and natural resources, in order to achieve this trade goal,” the minister said.
Iran is an important supplier of natural gas to Türkiye, Bayraktar stressed, noting that the natural gas trade between the two countries has been going on for 30 years.
“Hopefully, in the period ahead, we will quickly conclude the negotiations we have started today and take steps to take this gas supply agreement even further,” the Turkish minister said.
Last year, Türkiye imported 50.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, down from the previous year’s 54.7 billion cubic meters.
He also raised the issue of Turkish private companies’ participation in the natural gas infrastructure projects in Iran during talks with Iranian officials.
Bayraktar said that he discussed those projects with Owji and Iranian companies and that the talks will continue.
Speaking after the meeting with Mehrabian, Bayraktar said that Türkiye and Iran would start the electricity trade.
Talks are ongoing to export electricity from Türkiye to Iran or from Iran to Türkiye over a transmission network when needed, according to the minister.
“Hopefully, in the next few months, as a result of those works, the electricity trade will start between the two countries,” Bayraktar said.
Energy is one of the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries and is an issue that is carried out within the scope of the long-lasting and mutually beneficial agreements, the minister added.
During the talks with Iranian officials, renewable energy was also discussed, according to Bayraktar.
“We agreed to continue our efforts to help Iran realize its renewable potential through our companies and experience which created a total capacity of 25,000 megawatts in wind and solar in Türkiye,” he said.
The two countries will increase cooperation where Energy Exchange Istanbul (EPİAŞ) will share its experience with Iranian officials to help them establish a planned energy exchange market in Iran, Bayraktar added.
