KAZAN, June 17. /TASS/. Tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran remain unresolved, meaning uncertainty in global energy markets is likely to persist, Kirill Babayev, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, told TASS on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN Business Forum.
"The situation around Iran is far from resolved, and there should be no illusions about that," he said. "Since the United States and Israel failed to achieve regime change in Iran, tensions between those countries and Tehran are likely to continue. As a result, uncertainty in energy markets will also persist."
Babayev expressed confidence that, under these circumstances, "Russia remains a reliable long-term supplier capable of providing both oil and liquefied natural gas to Southeast Asian countries that have found themselves in a difficult position as a result of the Middle East crisis."
"Today, the prevailing view in ASEAN countries is that long-term energy cooperation with Russia is essential - in both the nuclear and conventional energy sectors - in order to protect themselves from future crises, which, in my opinion, are inevitable," he added.
TASS is an information partner of the Russia-ASEAN Business Forum.