Heading a high-ranking delegation, Raeisi will deliver a speech at the summit to raise Iran’s stances on strategies and policies of GECF for safeguarding its member states’ interests, promoting their cooperation on the natural gas industry’s development and its role in providing energy security, and investing more in the sector, the deputy oil minister continued.

The summit will open up an opportunity for GECF member states to hold constructive talks and exchange views about the recent energy, particularly natural gas, developments and future perspectives, he said.   

According to the official, a High-Level Ad Hoc Working Group meeting and an extraordinary ministerial meeting to be attended by GECF member states’ oil and energy ministers, including Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji, will be held prior to the summit, during which the essential documents, including the declaration, will be prepared.

Asadzadeh pointed to important side events, saying the headquarters of GECF’s Gas Research Institute (GRI) will open during an official ceremony in Algeria, the latest edition of the GECF Global Gas Outlook will be unveiled, exemplary individuals and institutions will be awarded, and a ceremony for signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the African Energy Commission (AFREC) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) will be also held.

GRI has a scientific-technical committee comprising the GECF member states’ representatives, which has started work before the institute’s official inauguration, mentioned the deputy, adding the committee has so far studied 30 plans submitted by the member states and picked five to implement.

Among the selected plans is one of the five presented by Iran under the title “Plan for Flare Gases Management and Collection”, said Asadzadeh, adding GRI has given the first priority to the Iranian plan.

Given the great efforts and follow-up made by the Department for OPEC Affairs and Relations with Energy Communities to publicize Iran’s achievements amid sanctions, the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) has been selected and will receive a GECF award during the summit, he announced.

Iran will host the 8th Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2027.