TEHRAN, November 23. /TASS/. Russia is a strategic partner of Iran, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said during the talks with Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Tehran at the third Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit on Monday.

"Moscow is a strategic partner of Iran," the Iranian minister was quoted by IRNA news agency.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the idea of creating a gas center in Iran, which in the future would have its own gas exchange, which, according to Zangeneh, would contribute to further convergence of gas exporters. "If the idea of creating a gas hub materializes, then a gas exchange could operate in the framework of that center," Zangeneh shared his long-term plans.

Zangeneh expressed optimism about future relations between the two countries in the oil and gas sector and confirmed that Russian companies are invited to participate in investment projects of development of underground gas deposits. It is expected that Gazprom will hold talks with Iran in the near future, Zangeneh said.

At the same time, he noted that bringing political aspect into the gas market and the applying unilateral and multilateral sanctions against the gas industry of the GECF countries is unacceptable.