TEHRAN - Iranian Minister of Petroleum Javad Owji said on Monday that imposing unilateral sanctions against the members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) not only violates international law but also endangers the world’s energy security.
Owji made the remarks on the threshold of the 6th GECF Summit of Heads of State and Government on Monday.
He noted that imposing unilateral sanctions against the members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) not only violates international law, but also endangers the world’s energy security.
Pointing to the imposing of unilateral sanctions, he highlighted that imposing sanctions can jeopardize the security of natural gas supply and disrupt the sustained flow of it in the world.
He stated that the policy of the Ministry of Oil in the 13th government of Iran is strategic cooperation with regional states, as well as members of the GECF, adding that Iran can be the most desirable option for transferring gas to the east and west, given its geographical location and existing infrastructure.
Owji stressed that the security of energy in the world will be the priority of the 6th GECF Summit of Heads of State and Government in Doha, Qatar.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Monday to participate in the 6th GECF Summit of Heads of State.
Ministers of petroleum, cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts, as well as the head of the president’s office are accompanying President Raisi on this trip.
Iran, Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela are the 11 members of the GECF while Malaysia, Norway, Iraq, Peru, Azerbaijan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are observers.
Having a strong position in the global energy markets, the GECF member countries together represent 44 percent of the world gas production, 67 percent of the world’s proven natural gas reserves, 64 percent of the transfer of gas through the pipeline, and 66 percent of LNG exports.

Tehran, Caracas, Stress Development of Bilateral Cooperation

Meanwhile, Owji and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia in Doha stressed the continuation of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
“Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to continue to strengthen cooperation in all areas that contribute to the creation of new economic areas for the development and progress of the people,” said the Venezuelan foreign ministry referring to the meeting of Javad Owji and Felix Plasencia.
“We had a constructive meeting with Javad Owji and we reiterated Venezuela’s commitment to bilateral relations with Iran in various fields,” wrote Venezuela’s foreign minister in his Twitter account Monday.
The meeting between Iran and Venezuelan ministers took place on the sidelines of the Summit Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha.