Russia wants to cooperate with Iran on gas turbines

Moscow (Reuters) – Russian companies are interested in cooperating with Iran on gas turbine technology and joint production, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said in a statement on Tuesday.

Russia has been trying to start producing its own gas turbines of medium or large capacity for years, but is yet to fine tune the process. The need to have its own production has become more acute since the start of what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine in February.

Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) and some other foreign companies, whose turbines were used to built modern gas power plants in Russia, are withdrawing from the Russian market or have suspended operations, making it difficult for Moscow to service these plants.

“There is large potential for cooperation in this,” Shulginov told a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Mehrabian.

Moscow has been pushing for closer ties with Tehran amid Western sanctions and pressure over Russia’s operation in Ukraine. Iran wants deeper cooperation with Russia in the energy, transportation and agriculture sectors.