Iran, Syria sign oil, gas cooperation deal

Damascus, April 4, IRNA - Iran and Syria on Thursday signed an oil and gas cooperation deal.

The agreement, endorsed by Iran?s Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari
and his Syrian counterpart Sufian Allaw, envisions cooperation in
upstream industries, including oil and gas exploration, drilling and
extraction as well as laying the `Persian Pipeline? for transfer of
Iranian gas to Europe via Iraq, Syria, the Mediterranean, Greece, and
Italy.

The two sides will also expedite establishment of an oil refinery in
the Syrian Homs Province and also a pipeline project for transfer of
Iranian gas to Syria via Turkey.

A joint statement issued by the two sides says they are prepared to
hold a trilateral meeting with Iraq to examine the feasibility of a
project for Iran?s gas transfer to Europe and Iraq?s gas exports to
Syria through the pipeline.

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