Speaking at the 28th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Hamid Bovard, Caretaker Minister of Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Iran, called on member states to turn the Forum into a more resilient and investment-oriented platform.
He proposed that it work toward lifting natural gas to a 30 percent share of the global energy mix. He also outlined Iran's gas achievements and its readiness to share its experience with fellow members.
Greetings and Gratitude
Bovard addressed Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) and President of the 28th Ministerial Meeting, and Sergei Tsiliev, Russia's Minister of Energy. He said he was pleased to be in the historic city of Moscow, among the ministers and delegations of GECF member and observer countries. The purpose of the gathering, he said, was to exchange views on strategic developments in the gas industry, on the challenges facing global energy markets, and on the shared responsibility to shape a stable and energy-secure future.
He thanked the people and government of the Russian Federation for their hospitality and for the excellent arrangements made for the meeting.
Tribute to the Martyrs of the Recent War
Bovard also paid tribute to the martyrs of the recent war waged against Iran by the United States and the Zionist regime. He named in particular the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei. He also remembered all the innocent civilians killed, including the children of the school in Minab and the athletes of the sports club in Lamerd.
Energy Security, Peace and Sovereignty
Addressing the chairman and delegates, the minister noted that the Forum is marking its 25th anniversary at a time when the global energy system is passing through one of the most complicated periods of geopolitical, economic and technological change in its history.
The recent energy crisis, he said, resulted from the aggression imposed by the United States and the Zionist regime on the Iranian nation. It has again shown that energy security is not merely an economic or technical concept. It is inextricably linked to peace, regional stability, the security of critical infrastructure and respect for the national sovereignty of states. Recent experience has shown that such acts of aggression can have consequences far beyond regional borders, affecting the security of energy supply, economic growth and development worldwide.
Bovard said United States military interventions and actions in various regions, including the Persian Gulf, together with continued sanctions and unilateral economic measures, have targeted the sovereign rights and interests of the Iranian people. They have also, he argued, undermined confidence, investment security and predictability in global energy markets.
Against this backdrop, the Islamic Republic of Iran believes global energy security can be achieved by:
- ensuring the security of energy-producing countries,
- respecting their national sovereignty,
- promoting sustainable investment, and
- strengthening effective international cooperation.
In these circumstances, he said, the GECF serves more than ever as a platform for solidarity, dialogue and practical cooperation among gas-producing countries. The 8th GECF Summit, to follow the Ministerial Meeting, will offer a valuable opportunity to reinforce this approach and chart a new course for strategic cooperation among member countries.
A New Phase for the Forum
Bovard recalled that the GECF was founded in Tehran in 2001 and is now approaching a new phase in its institutional life. Rapid global developments, he said, require the Forum to preserve its fundamental principles while adapting its priorities, instruments and mechanisms of cooperation to changing circumstances. From Iran's perspective, three strategic priorities could provide the foundation for this transformation.
First Priority: Enhancing Resilience to Global Energy Crises
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the geopolitical developments of 2026 have shown that global energy markets are increasingly exposed to unpredictable shocks. The Forum, Bovard said, must strengthen its capacity for the early identification of risks, the assessment of crisis scenarios and the development of aligned responses. He said it is therefore necessary to review the GECF Long-Term Strategy, with particular emphasis on strengthening the natural gas value chain.
Second Priority: Strengthening Natural Gas's Strategic Position in the Future Global Energy System
Natural gas will remain one of the essential pillars of global energy security and economic development, the minister said. He cited its reliability, abundance, operational flexibility, extensive industrial applications and complementary role in the expansion of renewable energy.
He pointed to the Forum's Global Gas Outlook, which projects that global natural gas demand will rise by 31 percent to exceed 5,400 billion cubic meters by 2055. Gas's share in the global energy mix is expected to grow from about 23 percent to 26 percent. These projections, he said, underscore the enduring strategic importance of natural gas in the coming decades. Even so, gas's potential contribution to energy security, industrial development and the alleviation of energy poverty extends far beyond current projections.
Bovard therefore proposed that the GECF Secretariat, together with member countries, consider the feasibility of a roadmap to increase gas's share in the global energy mix, with the ambitious objective of reaching 30 percent. Such a roadmap, he suggested, could be grounded in economic studies, long-term demand assessments, investment requirements and environmental considerations.
He also said it is essential for member countries to adopt an aligned approach, based on technical realities and shared interests, toward climate-related regulations and mechanisms that may impose disproportionate restrictions on energy trade and investment. He cited the potential implications of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as one example.
Third Priority: Expanding Investment, Management and Technological Cooperation
GECF members hold a substantial proportion of the world's proven natural gas reserves, which gives them an outstanding position in meeting future global energy needs. But large underground resources alone, Bovard said, do not guarantee security of supply. What turns gas resources into energy security is timely investment, access to technology, infrastructure development and confidence in sustained demand.
He cited the latest GECF Global Gas Outlook, which estimates that meeting global gas demand through 2055 will require about $11.6 trillion in upstream investment and $735 billion in the midstream sector. That brings total investment needs to more than $12 trillion. A scale of investment this large, he said, underscores the importance of a stable and predictable environment supported by appropriate financing mechanisms.
Within this framework, he said, cooperation among members should focus on three areas:
1. Joint financing and investment. Members should explore joint financing and investment mechanisms for natural gas projects, drawing on the capacities of national, regional and international financial institutions.
2. Technological cooperation. Members should expand technological cooperation by facilitating the transfer of technical knowledge, developing skilled human resources and implementing joint projects across the upstream, midstream and downstream of the gas industry. Iran, he noted, possesses substantial experience in all of these domains.
3. Producer–consumer dialogue. Members should strengthen structured dialogue between producers and consumers. The aim is to enhance demand security, mitigate investment risks and establish a sustainable balance between the interests of suppliers and consumers.
In this context, Bovard said, the GECF Secretariat could take a more proactive role. It could identify opportunities for cooperation, facilitate engagement among members' specialized organizations and follow up on the practical outcomes of those interactions.
Iran's Role and Capabilities
Bovard stressed that Iran, as the initiator and a founding member of the GECF, has consistently emphasized further strengthening multilateral cooperation, mutual respect and the use of collective capacities for the sustainable development of the gas industry.
He said Iran's 14th Government, within the framework of the Seventh National Development Plan, has identified expanded engagement with international energy organizations and forums, particularly the GECF, as a priority of its energy diplomacy.
Iran holds the world's second-largest proven natural gas reserves, he noted, along with a strategic geographical location and substantial technical, industrial and human-resource capacities. This, he said, positions the country well to strengthen and expand its regional and international cooperation.
Despite decades of sanctions and the consequences of imposed wars, Iran's gas industry has relied on domestic capabilities to reach an annual production capacity of about 300 billion cubic meters. That places Iran among the world's three largest gas producers. Natural gas accounts for about 70 percent of the country's energy mix, and Iran's extensive gas distribution network serves around 95 percent of its population.
The minister said these achievements reflect Iran's industrial, engineering and managerial capabilities, as well as its valuable experience in developing large-scale gas infrastructure. Iran, he said, stands ready to share these experiences and capabilities through bilateral and multilateral cooperation, in support of joint project development and of building the capacities of GECF member countries.
Closing Remarks
In conclusion, Bovard said the future of the GECF in the natural gas industry depends not only on the scale of reserves and production capacity. It also depends on the quality of members' cooperation, the stability of their policies and their collective ability to respond effectively to global challenges.
The 25th anniversary of the Forum, he said, offers a significant opportunity to build on past achievements and begin a new chapter of result-oriented cooperation, joint investment and strategic convergence. He expressed confidence that, through the collective determination of member countries and effective use of the Secretariat's capacities, the GECF can further consolidate its position as an influential institution in the global energy dialogue.
Bovard again thanked the people and government of the Russian Federation for their hospitality and for the organization of the 28th GECF Ministerial Meeting. He also thanked the Executive Board, the Technical and Economic Council, the Forum's Secretary General and his colleagues for their efforts and contributions.
He ended by saying he hopes the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting and the upcoming 8th GECF Summit will be meaningful steps toward strengthening solidarity among member countries and advancing the shared interests of natural gas–producing and consuming nations.