Iran, India oil ministers discuss energy cooperation at BRICS meeting

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad met India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday on the sidelines of a BRICS energy meeting in Gurugram, Iran’s oil ministry said.

The ministers discussed energy cooperation, oil and gas ties, and the Chabahar port, the ministry said.

Paknejad also said lasting stability and security in West Asia required foreign forces to leave the region and US military bases to be dismantled.

“The only way to achieve stability and security in West Asia, which supplies a large share of the world’s energy, is for foreigners to leave the region,” he said.

He said regional countries should be responsible for their own security.

“Security in this strategic region must be entrusted to the countries of the region,” Paknejad said.