Iran, Syria to Boost Cooperation in Oil, Mine Sectors

By Trend

High-ranking Iranian and Syrian officials in a meeting in Damascus conferred on ways to increase cooperation in oil and mine fields, Trend reports citing Fars News Agency.

The meeting was held between Syrian Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Bassam Tohme and Advisor to Iran’s Minister of Defense Mostafa Esbati who is also the chairman of Iran’s Council of Economic Cooperation.

The officials also discussed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) previously signed by Tehran and Damascus, which covers sectors such as base oil and compressed gas to operate machinery and turbines as well as drilling equipment.

Tohme and Esbati stressed that the previously-agreed projects are implemented as soon as possible in order to help strengthen and boost economic relations between the two countries.

The Syrian oil minister said that it is important to have joint cooperation on maintaining gas turbines and compressors inside Syria instead of sending them to Iran.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad said in December that his country attaches special importance to the development of trade and economic relations with Iran, and called for the removal of sanctions against both states.

“Syria pays special attention to strengthening trade relations with Iran. We welcome any efforts to end the sanctions. We welcome any cooperation with Iran in Syria,” Mikdad said in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran.

He also called for the removal of all sanctions against Iran and Syria.