Iran says it is ready to expand electricity links with regional states

Iran's Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said Tehran is prepared to expand electricity interconnections with regional states, speaking at the 30th Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum, according to Mehr News.

Aliabadi said Iran has established electricity connections with its western neighbors as well as with Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east, and that links with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iraq are also in place. He added that Iran is seeking to connect its electricity network to Russia through a neighboring country.

The minister said regional cooperation is becoming increasingly important as electricity demand rises, particularly with the growth of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. He also highlighted the need to expand energy storage and electricity interconnections to balance power generation, distribution and consumption.

On domestic capacity, Aliabadi said Iran's electricity generation has grown from 7,000 megawatts at the time of the 1979 Islamic Revolution to nearly 97,000 megawatts. He added that Iran manufactures power plant equipment domestically and exports such equipment to regional countries.

Aliabadi said Iran remains committed to developing its electricity industry and is prepared to cooperate with other countries and make use of their capabilities despite sanctions and war. The report by Mehr News added that the remarks were made at the Belarusian forum, which focuses on energy and environmental issues.