TEHRAN, Nov. 25 (Shana) – President Hassan Rouhani has commended the coordinators working for convention of the summit meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) saying it demonstrated Iran’s increasing dignity.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet session on Wednesday, the Iranian chief executive highlighted performance of the Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, law enforcement and sensitive agencies, as well as the mass media.
He also thanked the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei for receiving the visiting leaders from the GECF countries.

Rouhani said participation of eights heads of state and government in the summit on Monday was showing the importance they attach to expansion of relations with Iran.
He said Iran will increase gas exports next year by optimization of domestic consumption, increasing recovery of energy resources, and development of the oil and gas industry.

GECF is the forum of the world’s leading gas producers that provides a framework for exchange of experience, views, information and data, as well as coordination in gas related developments among member countries.
It consists of 19 main and observer members with its permanent secretariat based in Doha, Qatar.

Russia, Iran, Qatar, Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates, are main members of the gas exporting body. Observer countries are the Netherlands, Iraq, Oman, Azerbaijan, Peru, Kazakhstan and Norway.

By SHANA