TEHRAN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The 28th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition, also known as the Iran Oil Show 2024, kicked off Wednesday in Iran's capital Tehran.
The opening ceremony was attended by Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Mohsen Khojastehmehr, Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum Mohamed Hamel, along with other oil industry representatives and parliament members.
In addition to 1,500 domestic firms, 250 companies from 12 countries, including China, Russia, France, Japan, India, Austria, Argentina, and Belarus, have also taken part in the exhibition, Shana News Agency affiliated with the Iranian Oil Ministry reported Wednesday.
The four-day event is Iran's most important oil exhibition held annually by the NIOC, said the report.
The oil industry's latest achievements and technologies will be displayed at the event, Shana quoted the exhibition's director, Gholamreza Jamali, as saying.
Jamali added that the exhibition serves as a venue for industry experts, officials, as well as domestic and foreign firms to exchange experience, discuss cooperation, and make investments in the Iranian oil industry.
He noted that several expert meetings, roundtables, and educational workshops would also be held during the show in a venue spanning 70,000 square meters.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Oil Minister Owji said that since the incumbent administration took office in August 2021, Iran's annual oil production has increased by 60 percent while exports climbed to 35 billion U.S. dollars in the previous Iranian year ending on March 19, 2024, despite sanctions and restrictions imposed by "the enemies." ■
