TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi has attributed the success of Iran’s energy industry to reliance on domestic capabilities, specialized human resources and leading universities, and turning sanctions and threats into opportunities for self-sufficiency. He also stressed that regional alliances are essential to economic stability and energy security.
Speaking at the 30th Belarusian Energy and Environment Forum on Wednesday, Aliabadi said Iran had developed a robust, technologically independent and diversified energy system that supports the resilience of its national economy, drawing on the country’s natural resources and vast hydrocarbon reserves.
He said Iran’s electricity and energy industries had faced unprecedented sanctions intended to halt the country’s development, but domestic specialists had turned those restrictions into an impetus for progress. Relying on young engineers, research centers and knowledge-based companies, Iran had localized the entire value chain of its electricity and energy industries.
Aliabadi noted that Iranian companies, including MAPNA Group and Iran Transfo, now manufacture equipment for transmission networks, substations and transformers, as well as advanced gas and steam turbines of various classes, in line with international standards.
He identified systematic links between universities, equipment manufacturers and project operators as a key factor in replacing imports. Iran, he said, was ready to share its experience in technological independence and successful import-substitution models with friendly countries, particularly Belarus, through joint projects and technology transfer.
Addressing regional energy cooperation, Aliabadi said energy security in today’s interconnected world was no longer solely a national concern but a regional and international issue.
He outlined the benefits of electricity grid interconnection, including greater grid stability and reliability, improved economic efficiency, lower costs, and stronger political stability and geopolitical convergence. Interconnected grids, he said, allow countries to exchange electricity during peak demand and compensate for local shortages, reducing the need to build additional power plants.
The minister also highlighted the potential of energy-related cooperation within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), saying regional alliances could help countries withstand external political volatility. He noted that Iran already exchanges energy with neighboring countries and has one of the region’s largest electricity networks.
Aliabadi concluded that expanding cooperation among Iran, Belarus and other Eurasian partners could help strengthen economic independence, counter unilateralism and promote sustainable prosperity.