'Iran’s gas and oil reserves guarantee global energy supplies'

TEHRAN, May 10 (MNA) - The deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Baqeri said that Iran’s abundant oil and gas reserves guarantee the security of energy supplies in the world. Baqeri made the remarks during a meeting with India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Latha Reddy in Tehran on Wednesday. “Iran’s vast oil and gas reserves ensure the stability and security of the world energy market,” he stated. The Iranian official added that new economic powers are emerging in Asia, energy demand is growing, and reserves of certain oil exporting countries will be exhausted in the next decade. Reddy said, “India regards the Islamic Republic of Iran as a stable energy supplier.” Baqeri and Reddy also discussed bilateral issues during the meeting and explored ways to enhance ties and cooperation on the international and regional stages. The meeting came after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a three-day visit to India from May 6 to 8 to seek assurances that India will reduce its purchases of oil from Iran. Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said on Tuesday that Iran is a key country for India’s energy needs. Krishna, who was speaking at a joint press conference with Clinton after a meeting between the two officials, stated, “I conveyed our vital stakes in peace and stability in the Persian Gulf and wider West Asian region, given the six million Indians who live there and the region’s importance to our economy,” Hindustan Times reported. He added, “Iran is a key country for our energy needs but we have to look at the Iran issue beyond the issue of energy trade. In the first place, we have to see security and stability in the Persian Gulf region, India has vital stakes in (the) Persian Gulf region.”