Joint Virtual meting with the Turkish Energy Strategy and Policy Research Center (TESPAM)

The joint virtual meeting of the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and the Turkish Energy Strategy and Policy Research Center (TESPAM) on bilateral relations and energy cooperation was held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

 The joint virtual meeting of the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and the Turkish Energy Strategy and Policy Research Center (TESPAM) on bilateral relations and energy cooperation was held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The meeting was addressed by Majid Ghafeleh Bashi, Research Deputy of IPIS, Morteza Abutalebi, Senior Expert of IPIS; Mehdi Ehsanian , Acting President of the Niroo Research Institute; Abbas Bahri, President of the Energy and Research Center of the Niroo Research Institute; Ashkan Zolriyasatain, President of International affairs and Faculty Member of the Niroo Research Institute ; Mr. Akyener Oguzhan, President of Tespam; Mr. Levent Kenar, Vice President of Tespam;  A. Murat Becerikli, Director of the Global Analysis and Forecasting Committee; Murat Noyan, Director of Technical Studies; Lutfi Taskiran, Director of Nuclear Studies, and Abdullah Altun, Director of Economic Studies.

The participants of the meeting discussed and exchanged views in the form of two panels titled "Iran and Turkey’s Capacities and Challenges in the Energy Sector “and "Bilateral Relations and Cooperation in the Energy Sector.”

The major topics raised at the meeting are as follows:

• The world has witnessed a significant change in the algorithm of the global economy since the 1990s. The global value chain revolution is the result of outsourcing production to other countries, which has had a significant impact on the global economy, including China's rapid growth. A series of events since 2000, such as the global financial crisis of 2008, the trade wars of 2018 and the Corona pandemic in 2020, have contributed to increase in self-sufficiency, protectionist policies, weakening the global supply chain and increasing economic cooperation between neighboring countries. In this regard, Iran and Turkey too should focus on economic cooperation.
• The status of energy in the bilateral relations between Iran and Turkey goes beyond the issue of energy and should be considered as an important driving force in their general relations.
• At a time when climate change and global conflicts are deteriorating, centers of power are evolving, and we are likely to see a shift from the corona pandemic issue to climate change and new tensions and a kind of Cold War between the United States and China. In this context, it is very important to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in order to create peace and prosperity in the region.
• Areas of cooperation between Iran and Turkey and research institutes of the two sides may include: technology, investment in renewable energy sources, gas, electricity and nuclear energy, transfer of the South Pars Field’s gas through Turkey to the European Union, increase in economic exchanges and trade relations between the governments and private sectors of the two countries, scientific cooperation, formation of a consortium for joint research in various fields of energy, Qatari gas transportation through Iran to Turkey and Europe, investment in the Caspian Sea energy resources, bilateral investment in the oil and gas fields of Iraq and Syria, water policy and the creation of a strategic energy corridor in the region centered around  the two countries.
• Turkey has invested heavily in renewables, but research by the Tespam Institute shows that it cannot avoid hydrocarbons. Also, with two nuclear power plant projects and pursuing the goal of energy diversification in its energy policies, the country seeks to increase the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation to 20% by 2030.