Saeid Tavakoli made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting between Iran's oil minister and Russia's energy minister. He said Russia is one of Iran's most important partners in gas trade and that negotiations have advanced steadily under the current administration, led by the oil minister's continued efforts.

Tavakoli said expanding gas trade is a national priority under the country's Seventh Development Plan law. He noted that gas trade encompasses more than simple buying and selling, including swaps, transit, imports and exports, all of which have been examined within the framework of Iran-Russia cooperation.

Several options for implementing the cooperation have been proposed, he said, one of which is now being actively pursued. Plans have been made for short-, medium- and long-term cooperation, and all terms for the long-term phase are ready, meaning subsequent steps could move forward quickly once conditions allow.

Winter Preparedness Depends on Cooperation, Official Says

Tavakoli also addressed the gas industry's readiness for the winter season, saying the Oil Ministry launched debris removal, reconstruction and damage-compensation efforts quickly following recent incidents. Part of the damaged gas production capacity will return to service before winter begins, though full repairs to some facilities will take longer due to the complexity of refinery processes.

He stressed that getting through the winter successfully will require cooperation from all energy consumers. Roughly a third of the country's gas output is consumed by power plants, a third by industry and a third by households, he said, with household consumption rising sharply during the cold season. Managing demand and maintaining efficient consumption patterns will be key to ensuring a stable gas supply.

Tavakoli said he hopes that with cooperation from all agencies and consumers, the country will get through the coming winter with minimal disruption to gas supplies.