Energy security will face challenges unless serious practical steps are taken to fight terrorist cells, especially the Islamic State militant group, whose network is still expanding, a senior lawmaker said Tuesday.
Energy security is defined as the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption,
Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani made the remark speaking on the sidelines of the Iranian Petroleum and Energy Club Congress and Exhibition, or IPEC, in Tehran, ICANA reported.
"Energy importers and exporters are concerned about their future due to the fact that the security crisis in the Middle East has never been this severe since the end of Second World War," he said.
Highlighting the growing menace of extremism, he asserted, "Security issues have overshadowed energy resources, energy production and the energy industry in the region."
"Compared to the past, terrorists are much stronger as they are continuously supported financially and logistically," the lawmaker noted, asserting that funds available to IS have amounted to $30 billion because they can easily sell oil.
Interestingly enough, some states willingly purchase oil from terrorists, which explains why expansion of terrorism cannot be stopped and sustainable security cannot be realized, he lamented.
Alarming Inclination
According to Larijani, extremism ought to be analyzed thoroughly as it has experienced both qualitative and quantitative growth in the last two decades and surprisingly thousands of people from all over the world have shown interest to join them.
Pointing to the existing approach to fight terrorism which is relying on "so-called coalitions" in the war-torn region, the lawmaker said, "Iran is ready to help provide security in the region for the sake of its national interests; in addition, we believe that regional security is an interrelated issue, in other words neighboring countries need to help each other beyond political slogans when it comes to combating terrorists."
Referring to the untapped potential of the skilled workforce in Iran, he stated, "Imposed sanctions turned out to be such a blessing as they made us improve domestic technology, a legacy that must be preserved."
"Iran's policy on the oil and gas sector has changed," Larijani noted, reiterating that those who are keen on investing in these industries should know that Iran's new strategies call for transfer of technology besides investment.
The three-day convention which concluded on Wednesday brought together representatives from major European and Asian companies in the oil, gas, petrochemical and electricity sectors, including French oil and gas major Total, OMV of Austria, Italian oil and gas giant Eni, Germany's Siemens and Linde Group as well as Japanese heavyweights Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems and Mitsui Oil Exploration Company.
