The four-day
event, which is one of the most significant oil and gas events in the world,
showcases the latest achievements and innovations in the energy sector and
provides a platform for business networking and cooperation.
The opening ceremony
was attended by Iranian Petroleum Minister Javad Owji, Russian Deputy Prime
Minister Alexander Novak, and several other high-ranking officials and industry
representatives.
Owji said that
Iran is ready to cooperate with all countries in the field of energy and to
share its experiences and capabilities with them.
He also said that
Iran has made great strides in developing its oil and gas industry despite the
challenges posed by the U.S. sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic.
He added that
Iran is planning to increase its oil production and exports in the near future
and to attract more foreign investment and technology to its energy projects.
Novak, who is
also the co-chairman of the Iran-Russia Joint Economic Commission, said that
Russia is keen to expand its partnership with Iran in various areas of oil,
gas, petrochemicals and renewables.
He also praised
Iran's achievements in the oil and gas industry and expressed hope that the
exhibition would facilitate the exchange of experiences and technologies
between the two countries.
Iran, the
second-largest OPEC producer, holds 11 percent of the world's oil reserves and
18 percent of the world's gas reserves.
Russia and Iran,
both under Western sanctions, are forging closer ties in order to support their
economies and to undermine Western pressure which they both cast as unjustified.