Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Vice President of Iran, emphasized the country's readiness for cooperation in the oil and gas sector at the meeting of the prime ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on October 20, 2023, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. He suggested that the economic capacities of the member countries should be strengthened and added that Iran is ready to present a series of operational proposals in the fields of trade, economy, finance, transit, energy, digital, cultural, and humanitarian.
Emphasis on Deepening Cooperation in the Energy Sector
Aref stated: "In the energy sector, we must move from dialogue to deepening cooperation." He proposed the establishment of an energy consortium within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that would not be limited to oil and gas trade but would also include production, transportation, distribution, financing, and new energy technologies. The First Vice President of Iran also emphasized that the effective implementation of the energy cooperation strategy by 2030 must align with the interests of the member countries and requires joint projects.
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Technology Development and Decarbonization
Aref also referred to the issue of decarbonizing the oil and gas industries and said: "Iran is ready to share its scientific and technological capacities with the member countries." He emphasized that cooperation in the formation of joint knowledge-based companies, especially in the field of new technologies and increasing productivity, will be a priority for Iran in these collaborations.
Given Iran's high capacities in the oil and gas sector, which include large oil and gas fields, the country has been recognized as one of the key players in the regional energy arena. Oil fields such as the Azar field with a production capacity of 60,000 barrels per day and the South Pars gas field with a daily production capacity of 700 million cubic meters of gas are among the areas that can play a significant role in international collaborations.
Iran also insists that in the energy transition process, energy security should not be overlooked. In this regard, the participation of Shanghai member countries can help strengthen infrastructure and meet energy needs at the regional level.
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