Iran, South Africa to Sign MoU on Energy Cooperation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the country plans to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Africa on Sunday to boost cooperation in various energy fields.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with South African Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson in Tehran on Saturday, Zanganeh expressed the hope that the two countries would sign the MoU on April 24.
The Iranian minister further said Iran supplied 40 percent of South Africa’s crude oil imports before the imposition of sanctions against Tehran, adding that the two countries are trying to resume the imports which were halted in the sanctions-era.
All of the nuclear-related sanctions were terminated after Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) reached a nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16.
Zanganeh further referred to an upcoming visit to Iran by South African President Jacob Zuma hoped for enhanced cooperation between the two countries.
Expansion of relations with African nations in all political, economic and cultural fields is top on the agenda of Iran's foreign policy.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly stressed his government’s interest in boosting relations with African states.
