Iran’s Zangeneh Visits Baghdad to Broaden Energy Ties
Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh visited Baghdad in neighboring Iraq to sit with Iraqi officials including Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and his counterpart Thamer Ghadhban.
The Iranian official is now in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders about expanding energy relations. He met separately with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, Iraq’s Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban, and Finance Minister Fuad Hussein. In the meetings, the officials discussed development of relations between the two neighbours “in a way that positively reflected on the consolidation of political and economic stability in the region in general,” and specifically boosting cooperation in oil and energy. Mr. Zangeneh’s visit came just one day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Baghdad on Wednesday as part of a Middle East tour to drum up regional opposition to Iran. In a joint press conference by the two oil ministers on Thursday, Zangeneh said Iran was ready to increase its natural gas exports to Iraq. Baghdad needs the gas to fuel its domestic electricity production. Iran is exporting 15 million cubic meters of natural gas to Iraq daily, but could increase that to 40 million.