Aug 21, 2010, 6:44 PM

Iran, Syria discuss energy ties

Iran, Syria discuss energy ties

TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (MNA) -- Iranian Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi and Syrian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sofian al-Allaw discussed energy ties here on Friday.

 Supplying Syria with Iranian gas, building a refinery in Syria, and establishing a pipeline to transfer Iranian gas to Iraq, Syria and other countries were the major topics of the meeting, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported.

 “In short terms Iran’s current pipelines such as Iran-Turkey gas pipeline could be used for exporting gas to Syria, but in long terms construction of Iran-Iraq-Syria will help Iran to export its natural gas to the mentioned countries as well as other Asian and European nations,” Mirkazemi said.

 Iranian Deputy Oil Minster Javad Owji explained that Iraq has granted the permission to transfer Iranian gas to Syria via Iraq.

 Owji went on to say that Iran is ready to export natural gas to Iraq in two phases, with 7-8 million cubic meters and 12 million cubic meters in the first and second phases respectively.

 “Two European companies have suggested 6 routes for exporting Iranian gas to Europe. Persian pipeline, Nabucco Pipeline and the Iran-Iraq-Syria-Italy pipeline are the main proposed routes,” he added.

 Al-Allaw, for his part, stated that Iran will participate in the construction of a refinery with the refining capacity of 140,000 barrels in Homs, Syria.

 In 2006 Iran, Venezuela and Syria signed a preliminary agreement to jointly construct the refinery.

 Iran possesses the world’s second-largest gas reserves, which compose almost 16 percent of the world’s total.

 MF/HB

END

MNA

News Code 41458

Your Comment

You are replying to: .
  • captcha