Unilateral sanctions threaten global energy security: min.

Owji made the comments ahead of the meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha after referring to the strategic role of the forum in world gas exports.

The GECF members have rightly played their part in the sustainable supply of gas in the world despite the difficult conditions that emerged after the Coronavirus outbreak, the Iranian oil minister said.

Owji also described Iran as one of the countries that have the largest natural gas reserves in the world and said that Iran, with its 338,000 kilometers of the domestic gas supply network, is one of the leading countries in this field.

He also noted that unilateral sanctions could jeopardize the flow of natural gas and threaten the security of the natural gas supply.

The minister stressed the need to depoliticize international and global gas cooperation, adding that the unilateral sanctions against members of the GECF members not only are against international law but also they threaten global energy security.

He said the policy of the Iranian oil ministry and the 13th government under president Ebrahim Raeisi is to increase strategic cooperation with countries in the region, as well as the GECF members, adding that Iran could be the best option for transporting gas to the east and west, given its geographical location and infrastructure.

The oil minister further thanked Qatar and its energy minister Saad al-Kaabi for hosting the sixth GECF summit.

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