Iran is in discussions for supplying raw material, equipment and technology needed in the petroleum sector in Belarus amid growing economic ties between the two countries.

A senior official from Iran’s state oil company the NIOC said on Tuesday that a delegation from Belarus had visited Iran for talks on joint projects to manufacture oil industry equipment.

Borzou Ghanbari said the two sides had also discussed petroleum sector engineering exports and technology transfer from Iran to Belarus.

He said Iranian private manufacturers of oil industry equipment had been represented in the discussions.

“Fortunately, domestic manufacturers have a very good potential to produce and supply items needed in Belarus and we can easily respond to their needs,” the official was quoted as saying by Iranian Oil Ministry’s news service Shana.
Ghanbari said he envisages a promising future for oil industry cooperation between Iran and Belarus mainly due to the fact that Iranian oil engineering firms can supply modern equipment and technology at prices that are cheaper than those offered by international rivals.

He said the two sides will soon appoint special envoys to expedite oil industry cooperation projects.

The talks come amid growing economic relations between Iran and Belarus. A high-profile delegation led by the head of Iran’s ministry of industries (MIMT) visited Belarus in July to discuss avenues for increased trade and economic ties between the two countries.

A MIMT report in September said Iran and Belarus were in final stages of talks to sign a deal to manufacture heavy duty mining dump trucks, a project the ministry said could boost Iran’s mining output by at least 40% per year.