Iran said on Wednesday that it will support Indonesia’s bid to return to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). 

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh told reporters that Indonesia has recently requested to return to OPEC, stressing that Iran will support Indonesia’s bid in OPEC’s upcoming summit.

Zangeneh described Indonesia as an important Muslim country, adding that cooperating with that country has a special significance for Iran.

“Iran is interested in cooperating with Indonesia over exports of crude oil, gas liquids and other products such as liquefied natural gas (LNG),” he told reporters after meeting the visiting Indonesian Energy Minister Sudirman Said.

“Indonesia can also make investments in Iran’s oil, gas and petrochemical projects,” Zangeneh said.

He further said that Iran is ready to participate in projects to construct refineries in Indonesia, adding that this will be carried out in a way that would be to the benefit of both sides.

Zangeneh said an agreement had been reached in talks with Said over the outlines of a cooperation agreement between the two countries.

The Iranian minister said further discussions over the agreement will be held as technical teams from both sides meet in Tehran on Thursday.

Said told reporters before departing for Tehran that he will discuss cooperation over oil, gas and electricity projects during his meetings with Iranian officials.

“Many countries are being prepared to enter the Iranian market and we should not be the last one,” he said.