Tehran makes gas proposal to Stockholm

TEHRAN, Feb. 12 (MNA) – Petroleum Minister Zanganeh has offered Swedish companies to produce CNG-based bus engines in Iran. Speaking at a meeting with Sweden's Minister of EU Affairs and Trade Ann Linde in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian oil minister said negotiations were held during the joint session with Swedish official over collaboration between companies of the two sides. “Implementation of optimization projects as well as reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide consisted the main axis of talks,” he continued. Zanganeh said he had recommended the European side to launch partnership in the field of commercial vehicles though these collaborations have already kicked off by Scania and Mammut Group. The Iranian official recalled that an agreement for manufacturing trucks had been inked in January with Scania and Mammut Group stating “in the course of negotiations, we suggested that Swedish firms to join hands with Iranian counterparts for production of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines for public transport bus services.” He stressed that Sweden had made no request for partipation in upstream sector of Iran’s oil industry since they hold no active company in the field; “gas flaring reduction and boosting heat efficiency in oil industry facilities were other axes of talks with the Swedish side.” Leading a huge economic delegation, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven arrived in Tehran Friday night to hold deep and comprehensive dialogue to strengthen bilateral relations and promote stability.