TEHRAN, June 6 (Shana) -- Doors are now open to Iran to take the place, it deserves in the world, Secretary General of Energy Charter Secretariat Urban Rusnak said on Wednesday.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Shana.

"I expect that Iran takes the place it deserves; Iran was out of the international community for so many years," Rusnak said.

He added that all doors are open to Iran because of the more pragmatic approach the world has now towards Islamic Republic.

Iran voice was not heard before but now the situation has changed and you can utilize your power, the oil and gas export noted.

Rusnak said that Iran has low oil and gas production cost and therefore, it will stand at the oil and gas market for a long time in compare to its Persian Gulf rivals.

**International Energy Charter Re-invites Iran

The official referred to the history of Iran ties with the International Energy Charter and said that Iran has been invited to become observer to the energy charter conference in 2002.

In 2012, the Energy Charter Conference decided to renegotiate energy charter declaration and invited Iran to take part in the negotiations and Iran participated, he added.

Secretary general of the Energy Charter Secretariat added that in May 2015, the new international charter was adopted and Iran was among the countries which adopted it.

"For administrative reasons, Iran has not already signed the treaty. Now we have re-invited the Islamic Republic to finish the unfinished business and to sign something that we have negotiated two years ago," he said.

Rusnak underlined that "We have been assured by deputy petroleum minister that administrative process has been started and we hope that Iran will sign the energy charter treaty soon.

If Iran signs the treaty, it will become a full observer to the energy charter process and will have some rights, he underscored.

The energy expert added that Iran will have the right to participate in the negotiations of the future agreements and it will have the right to get technical assistance in different areas like investment promotion, dispute resolution, transit negotiations, energy efficiency and environmental aspects of energy cooperation or trade.

Secretary general of Energy Charter Secretariat added that Iran has been very active during the negotiations for the international energy charter and played hard in support of energy producing countries.

**International Energy Charter supports all sides

He noted that energy charter is an organization which is working on a more balanced approach on the energy security.

The International Energy Charter takes to account not only the security of demand but also the security of supply and also transportation, Rusnak said.

He underlined that energy security for the energy charter means the security of demand, supply, transit and absence of energy poverty.

Thinking that energy charter supports the demand side is a misperception because energy charter has been created by energy producing countries of Europe like UK, Norway, Russia, US and, etc, � and 25 years ago when the treaty was born all these countries were energy producing but some of them have become energy consumers during the time, Rusnak noted.

He said that Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan were energy importers when they became member of the International Energy Charter but now they are energy exporters because of the energy reform and changes.

It is not true that energy charter stands for the interest of the consumers, the official added

He noted that it happens nowadays that most of our countries are energy consumers but we are trying to balance the interests of all sides including the supply demand and transit sides.

Rusnak underlined that his organization is negotiating with all OPEC members including Iran, Nigeria and Mexico to have a closer cooperation with the International Energy Charter.

Explaining what the International Energy Charter do, he said that the energy charter is like the traffic rules which are not in favor of pedestrians, big trucks or small cars but in the meantime, they are in favor of all of them.

The International Energy Charter has some rules and it wants to modernize them with the help of members and invited observers, Secretary general of Energy Charter Secretariat added.

He noted that the International Energy Charter do not prescribe countries and do not interfere in country's energy policies but it care for the rules.

**Low oil prices not beneficial to anybody in long term

This high profile energy expert said that the low oil price is not only a problem for the energy producing countries but despite its advantages for the energy consuming countries at the beginning, it is not beneficial to anybody in the long term.

We are neutral in case of the oil prices, Secretary general of Energy Charter Secretariat said.

He noted that "We should not focus on the short term problems but we should focus on much bigger challenge which Iran and both the energy consumers and producers may face in the future.

**21st century, the century of renewable energies

The challenge is that we are in the first stage of global transition from oil and gas to renewable energies and this is caused by two things, one is the new technologies that change the demand on the supply side like fracking technologies that using them is becoming economical, the official added.

He pointed to the technological changes in the way of storing and using of the energy and said if electrical batteries take the place of petroleum for transportation and vehicles, what will happen to the energy producing countries like Iran.

Rusnak underlined that being part of the energy charter will provide Iran to become aware of the technological changes.
**Low cost of oil production in Iran, big advantage

Secretary general of Energy Charter Secretariat said also that lower cost of oil production in Iran is an advantage for investment in the country oil and gas projects but the investors expect better conditions that are attractive enough.

He referred to many MoUs signed between Iran and its foreign partners adding that the situation will become more realistic soon and it takes time to take a result from negotiations between Iran and foreign investors.

Many of the oil and gas customers seek to use renewable energies and technological change would shake the world of energy in the near future, this expert added.
Rusnak said that the 2oth century was the century of oil and gas but the 21st century will be the century of renewable energies.

"Alternative energies rival to oil and gas will come but we can not predict when, five years later or two decades ahead," he added.

The official said that what kind of alternatives will win the game in rivalry to oil and gas and which country will adopt itself to it faster than others are key to the progress and prosper of nations in case of energy in the future.

By SHANA