Al Arabiya News: Iran could be EU’s reliable gas supplier
Iran could be a “reliable, secure and long-term” supplier of gas to Europe, Agence France-Presse reported Tehran’s industry minister, Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, as saying in an interview on Monday.
“We don’t want to compete with Russia. But we know that Europe’s demand for gas is increasing and would like a share in this,” Nematzadeh told the business daily Handelsblatt in an interview.
“We have the energy reserves and cooperation plans. But as far as Russia is concerned, that is a decision for Europe alone,” the minister said. The statement seems to tap into the West’s anger against Russia’s involvement in Ukraine.
Europe and the United States expressed disdain after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in March with pro-Russian gunmen continuing to seize government buildings in the east European country.