S. Africa Keen to Resume Iranian Crude Imports
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – South Africa’s deputy energy minister voiced her country’s preparedness to resume the import of crude from Iran at the previous levels and make joint investment with Tehran in the construction of oil and gas to liquids (GTL) refineries.
Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Mansour Moazami and South Africa’s Deputy Energy Minister Thembisile Majola in a meeting discussed ways to boost Tehran-Pretoria cooperation in the oil and energy industry.
The African official voiced her country’s preparedness to resume importing crude from Iran once the anti-Iran sanctions are terminated under a lasting nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers.
Majola also expressed South Africa’s willingness to cooperate with Iran on the construction of oil refineries as well as gas to liquid refineries and implementing joint projects to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG).
She said Pretoria seeks to diversify resources of fulfilling its energy demands, expressing interest in importing LNG from Iran.
Iran was once the biggest oil supplier to South Africa - which is Africa’s second-biggest crude consumer, importing around 380,000 barrels per day (bpd) in total.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14 reached a conclusion on a lasting nuclear deal.
According to Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, the country has devised plans to secure its position in the global oil market by increasing crude exports to pre-sanctions level in a short period after the nuclear accord takes effect.
“It is our right to retake our share from the market,” Zanganeh said last week, noting that Tehran has begun to hold talks with South Korea, Japan, India and some European companies to boost oil exports.
