Iran Petroleum Minister Visits Iraq for Talks on Strengthening Energy Collaboration
Iran's Petroleum Minister, Mohsen Paknejad, has reached Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, to engage in discussions aimed at bolstering bilateral collaboration within the energy sector.
Paknejad began his official two-day visit on Monday following an invitation from his Iraqi counterpart.
He is slated to engage in discussions with Iraq’s oil and electricity ministers, as well as the prime minister.
The two parties are set to formalize a memorandum of understanding regarding the oil industry, alongside reaching agreements for the provision of gas to power plants in Iraq.
Upon reaching his destination, Paknejad honored the memorial dedicated to General Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
On January 3, 2020, a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport resulted in the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and their accompanying personnel.
Paknejad has conveyed optimism that the two nations will conclude their previous discussions and formalize agreements in the energy sector during his visit to Baghdad.
The official stated that Iraq and the other nation enjoy strong interactions and relations across multiple sectors. He emphasized that cooperative efforts, particularly within the oil industry and the execution of oil projects, are actively progressing.
In March, discussions took place in Tehran between Paknejad and Iraq’s Electricity Minister Ziad Ali Fadhil, focusing on enhancing collaboration in the sectors of oil, gas, petrochemicals, and electricity.
