Iran and Qatar Discuss Energy Cooperation at Moscow Gas Summit

On October 27, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow, focusing on energy cooperation and bilateral relations.

Energy Cooperation and Bilateral Relations in Moscow

The two leaders reviewed the current state of relations between Tehran and Doha during their meeting at the energy forum. Iranian state television reported that both sides emphasized expanding political and economic relations and using existing capacities to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Discussions centered heavily on expanding collaboration within the energy sector. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the broader Gas Exporting Countries Forum, an intergovernmental organization that brings together major natural gas-producing nations including Iran, Russia, Qatar, and Algeria.

Qatar Mediates to Defuse Tensions Between Iran and US

The talks in Moscow occurred without mention of the US-Israel war on Iran, a conflict that has involved Iranian missile and drone strikes on targets across the region, including in Qatar. Doha has actively participated in mediation efforts to end the nearly eight-month-old conflict.

During a weekly briefing, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesman called for Iran to halt threats against Gulf states to allow diplomacy to defuse regional tensions. The spokesman noted that a Qatari delegation recently visited Tehran to support mediation efforts and help pave the way for a resolution with the United States.

Meanwhile, at the 28th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Acting Oil Hamid Bovard criticized US economic sanctions and military interventions in the Persian Gulf, stating they destabilize the energy market and threaten global energy security, Mehr News Agency reported. Bovard paid tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and victims of recent aggression.

Iran Raises Gas Production to Ensure Energy Security

Addressing the 8th GECF Summit in Moscow, President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that geopolitical developments and unilateral measures have seriously threatened global energy security. He cited attacks on Iran’s energy facilities and disruptions to energy transfers as key factors endangering market stability.

Pezeshkian noted that Iran has raised its natural gas production capacity to 300 billion cubic meters annually, maintaining its position as the world’s third-largest gas producer. Natural gas currently accounts for 70 percent of Iran’s energy mix, with 95 percent of the population covered by the national gas network.

Projections presented at the forum indicate that worldwide demand for natural gas is expected to surge by 31 percent to over 5,400 billion cubic meters by 2055, raising its share in the global energy basket from 23 to 26 percent. Forum officials proposed a roadmap to increase natural gas’s share in the global energy mix to 30 percent, while calling for a unified front against unilateral trade restrictions such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

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