TEHRAN, Nov. 23 (Shana) � Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran on Monday to attend the Third Summit Meeting of the Gas Producing Countries (GECF) to be chaired by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Presidents of Iraq, Turkmenistan, Equatorial Guinea, Bolivia, Nigeria, and Venezuela and prime minister of Algeria have arrived in the capital to take part in the summit which is scheduled to convene later in the day.

Secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and secretary general of the International Energy Forum (IEF) are also in Tehran prior to the summit�s convention.

Prior to arrival of the GECF leaders and guests, the ministerial and expert-level meetings were held on Friday and Saturday preparing the documents for approval of the leaders.
Previous GECF gas summits were held in Qatar in 2011 and in Moscow in 2013.

GECF is the gathering of the world�s leading gas producers that provides a framework for exchange of experience, views, information and data, as well as coordination in gas related developments among member countries.

It consists of 19 main and observer members with its permanent secretariat based in Doha, Qatar.

By SHANA