The note of the Iraqi foreign minister, Seyed Abbas, in the Russian newspaper Vedomosti/1.
Energy security is now the biggest challenge in the world, along with food security, and both of these challenges are a direct result of the coercive and bullying actions of the United States of America in our region. According to the estimate of the International Energy Agency, in 2025 more than 112 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz, equal to almost a fifth of its world trade. However, the recent military aggression of the United States and its captives against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the continuation of their military threats caused the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of gas supply in the world and especially in Asia.
The price of gas in Europe has risen sharply, while the level of winter evening reserves is still much lower than last year. A similar situation in other parts of the world, especially that 90% of transit gas from the Strait of Hormuz is consumed in Asian markets. This shows that every disruption and conflict has consequences far beyond our region and affects energy security, market stability and the economic interests of producers and consumers around the world.
Look at the current interceptions in European countries and the dramatic increase in inflation and fuel prices in Europe and America. The lesson from this adventure is clear: producers must strengthen their suppliers, diversify supply routes, protect critical infrastructure and create practical mechanisms to reduce the impact of geopolitical shocks on global energy markets. This is what President Pazhkyan is going to do this week in Moscow together with his colleagues from 11 gas producing countries in the world. According to the Global Gas Outlook 2055 document compiled by the Assembly of Gas Exporting Countries, it is expected that by 2055, 86% of global gas production will come from fields that are not currently producing, and Iran, ranked second in the world after Russia in terms of proven natural gas reserves, is one of these fields. This shows that gas security as one of the main pillars of sustainable growth, energy security and international cooperation in the future will depend on continued exploration, development of new projects and successful conversion of resources to supply.
In this context, the member states of the Assembly of Gas Exporting Countries intend to strengthen their strategic role, so that according to the vision document for 2055, their share in global natural gas production will increase from 38% in 2024 to 44% in 2055, and they will constitute 65% of the net growth of global gas production. For this purpose, the cooperation between Iran and Russia in the field of energy and gas is of particular importance due to the fact that both countries have huge reserves of oil and gas, their strategic geopolitical location and their important role in the regional and global energy markets.
The development of energy relations between Tehran and Moscow can be a basis for strengthening energy security, increasing export capacities, expanding joint investments and improving the position of both countries in the energy equation of the region.
Investment of Russian companies in the development of Iran's oil and gas fields, transfer of technology, supply of equipment and use of joint technical and engineering capabilities are among the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries. This cooperation can help increase production, improve productivity and reduce the effects of restrictions caused by unilateral coercive measures.