OREANDA-NEWS. Teheran hosted today the first meeting of the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) of Gazprom and National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC). On behalf of the Russian party the JCC Co-Chairmen are Vitaly Markelov and Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairmen of the Gazprom Management Committee, and the Iranian party is represented by Hamid Reza Araqi, Deputy Petroleum Minister of Iran, Managing Director of NIGC and Azizollah Ramezani, Director of International Affairs at NIGC.

The parties considered a wide range of possible cooperation areas, including transactions with gas, development of the UGS system in Iran, equipment supplies and installation, oil & gas equipment servicing and repairs, development and upgrade of Iran's gas transmission system as well as gas use as a vehicle fuel.

Special attention was given to drawing up a General Scheme of Iran's Gas Industry Development.

The Committee participants stressed the importance of regular sharing of experience across the whole value chain and discussed the possibility of training Iranian specialists in Russia in industry-specific oil & gas professions.

National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Iran's Ministry of Petroleum is focused on natural gas treatment, transmission and sales.

NIGC incorporates National Iranian Gas Exports Company engaged in operating gas mains, developing LNG projects and exporting gas.