By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

The deft diplomacy of Iran continues to bear fruits in a variety of spheres, no matter what impediments the US tries to throw in the path of the Islamic Republic with its self-defeatist policy of economic terrorism.
One of the major economic achievements of the past week was the signing of a trilateral gas deal involving the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Central Asian Republic of Turkmenistan, and the Caucasus Republic of Azerbaijan.
The agreement, which was signed in the Turkmen capital in the presence of heads of the three countries on the sidelines of the 15th summit of the 10-nation Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) during the visit of President Hojjat al-Islam Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi, foresees a gas swap deal of up to 2 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year.
Iran, which has the world’s 2nd largest natural gas reserves, will receive gas from Turkmenistan for its northern parts and deliver an equivalent amount to Azerbaijan at the Astara border, thus solidifying economic relations among the three countries.
The vast natural gas fields of Iran lie in the south on the Persian Gulf, and as part of its economizing measures, in addition to fostering good neighbourly relations, the Islamic Republic imports gas from Turkmenistan for distribution in its northern parts, particularly during the winter.
Both the Azeri and Turkmen presidents were delighted with Iran’s economic diplomacy, making Ilham Aliyev, whom the American-Israeli duo of devils was trying to deceive a few months earlier, say: “From now on, Iranian-Azerbaijani relations will develop in all areas.”
He added: “Our peoples are fraternal peoples, our countries are fraternal countries, and the issues discussed today show again that Iranian-Azerbaijani relations are at a very high level.”
President Raisi’s response at the joint press conference was proof Iran’s sincere efforts to strengthen ties amongst the countries of the neighbourhood. He did not mince words when he said:
“Our relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan are not only neighbourly, they are the relations of our hearts. The hearts of the peoples of the two countries beat together.”
He further said: “We must never allow others to interfere in our relations. We must resolve our own problems, work together to advance our relations and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.”
Such regional economic achievements and building of good-neighbourly ties are a firm slap on the face of super-terrorist US, whose main intention is to create tension and wars all over the world.
The gas shipments which will start in the third week of December make Iran a gas hub in the region, besides expanding industrial and trade ties with ECO member states, especially with those countries that share borders with the Islamic Republic.
Iran, which also supplies natural gas to Turkey, Iraq, and Armenia, has various gas and oil pipelines networks crisscrossing the country, and is confident that soon Pakistan will be able resist American pressures to reopen negotiations with the Islamic Republic on supply of natural gas for its ailing economy. Iran has completed its part of the pipeline right up to the Pakistani border.
Iran’s strategic location on the Southern Gas Corridor of the trans-continental pipeline means it is all set to play a vital role for the energy starved markets of European countries.
According to analysts, the use of Iran’s natural gas network for Turkmenistan has many advantages, the most obvious of which is that no investment will be required for unnecessary construction of new pipelines at exorbitant costs.
The recent closure of the Russian gas pipeline to Poland by Belarus, owing to the two countries differences, means a cold winter for the people of Poland and other countries that receive Russian gas via Polish soil.
All this means, Europe cannot afford to freeze its industries and people under US pressures, and has to explore alternative routes, of which the safest is importing gas from Iran.