TEHRAN, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Iran aims to advance its position as an energy transit nation to match its world-leading natural gas reserves, an Iranian energy official said.
Iran sits on some of the largest oil and gas reserves but struggles to find a lucrative customer base because of sagging infrastructure and pressure from economic sanctions.
Nevertheless, Mojtaba Bahaee, the top official at the National Iranian Gas Co., told the Oil Ministry's Petroenergy Information Network that his country could play a central role in regional gas transit.
"Iran will become a regional gas hub in the near future following designing and implementation of the gas pipeline network's infrastructures," he told the news agency.
He added that Iran had no more than 1 percent of the global gas trade but could increase its stake through more transit projects, including a pipeline to Turkmenistan.
Iran and Turkmenistan inaugurated the 75-mile second phase of a natural gas pipeline between the countries in early December. The pipeline expands gas imports from Turkmenistan from 700 million cubic feet per day to 1.76 billion cfd.
Tehran said it has enough natural gas to help get Europe's planned Nabucco pipeline off the ground, though Western allies flatly deny Iranian gas would be involved.
