Former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Nobuo Tanaka, has predicted Iran will become one of the leading powers in the world oil and gas market by 2040.
During a visit from Iranian petroleum ministry’s Institute of International Energy Studies in Tehran, Tanaka said, “We believe that Iran is the most important player in the world oil and gas market because of its exemplary geopolitical situation which is worth any kind of energy investments.”
Tanaka, who currently serves as executive director at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, expressed hope that Iran’s energy sources remain available, according to a statement by NIGC.
He said Iran must set its post-sanctions priorities and prepare the grounds for them, adding Japan, South Korea, Europe and China will be the world’s biggest oil and gas importers by 2040.
He also underlined natural gas as an influential energy resource in the future, and said its pricing mechanism must be set so it can become a suitable alternative to crude oil.
Image: NIGC