Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA � Venezuelan President Nicol�s Maduro arrived in Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport on Sunday afternoon to attend the 3rd meeting of heads of state of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

Upon his arrival, Maduro was accorded welcome by Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh.

The third meeting of leaders of the GECF member states is scheduled to be held in Tehran on Monday in presence of nine heads of state.

The GECF Summit will be presided by President Hassan Rouhani.

Heads of some of the most important international organizations are also due to participate in the Tehran Summit.

Russia, Iran, Qatar, Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates, are main members of the gas exporting body. Observer countries are the Netherlands, Iraq, Oman, Peru, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Norway.

GECF members account for 42 percent of global gas output, 70 percent of global gas reserves, 40 percent of piped gas transfer, and 65 percent of global trade of Liquefied Natural Gas.

By IRNA