… READY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOCAL OIL AND GAS DRIVE
By Sostenus Wilherm
The Islamic Republic of Iran has renewed its intention to directly supply oil and petroleum products to Namibia, reviving a proposal Tehran has floated for sometime as the Middle Eastern nation seeks to strengthen its economic footprint in Southern Africa and position itself as a key partner in Namibia’s emerging oil and gas sector.
In an interview with Confidénte, Iran’s Ambassador to Namibia, Mohammad Bagher Beigi, said the recent Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between Iran and the United States of America could remove long-standing barriers that previously complicated direct trade relations between Tehran and African countries.
The developments come against the backdrop of years of economic restrictions on Iran, largely stemming from tensions between Tehran and Western powers over its nuclear programme and regional influence.
These tensions escalated into periods of military confrontation, including the recent conflict involving Iran and Israel, which heightened concerns over stability in the Middle East and the security of global energy supply routes.
The conflict contributed to volatility in international oil markets amid fears that a wider regional war could disrupt shipping through strategic waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global petroleum exports. Iran has increasingly sought to strengthen economic relations with countries outside its traditional trading partners, particularly in Africa, where it sees opportunities for expanded cooperation in energy, mining, agriculture and technology.
“Africa has always been a strategic priority in Iran’s foreign policy. We have the yearly Iran Africa sessions to promote relations, especially in the economic and trade fields,” Beigi said.
He said the agreement, which includes a phased process aimed at lifting structural restrictions and maritime blockades, could remove external barriers to trade.
“For African countries, especially Namibia, it means we can transition from potential discussions to immediate, practical economic partnerships without any unilateral global pressures,” he added.
The envoy noted that Iran is ready to supply oil directly to Namibia without third party intermediaries.
“Direct trade in these products will offer Namibia highly competitive and cost effective alternatives.”
According to Beigi, Iran’s interest extends beyond supplying fuel, with Tehran viewing Namibia’s emerging oil and gas industry as an opportunity for strategic long-term investment.
OIL AND GAS
The renewed Iranian proposal comes at a critical moment as Namibia accelerates preparations to become an oil-producing nation following major offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin and seeks strategic partnerships to develop energy infrastructure, technical expertise and long-term industrial capacity.
“The unfreezing of Iranian assets and the stabilization of our economic interactions will obviously increase our capacity for overseas investments. We view Namibia’s emerging oil and gas sector not just as a market, but as a fertile ground for strategic, long term joint investments.”
Iran has also offered technical cooperation as Namibia develops its petroleum industry.
“Iran has over a century of experience in the petroleum industry. Due to decades of sanctions, we developed fully selfreliant domestic technologies. We can offer Namibia expertise in refinery construction, pipeline engineering, petrochemical processing and advanced reservoir management.”
Beigi further maintained that Iran is prepared to present proposals covering the entire oil and gas value chain, including refining infrastructure, storage facilities and technical skills transfer for young Namibian engineers.
“We are fully prepared to submit comprehensive proposals covering the entire value chain, specifically in setting up localized refining infrastructure and establishing technical skills transfer programmes for young Namibian engineers.”
According to him, the easing of maritime and financial restrictions could also support Namibia’s ambition to become a regional energy hub.
“Iran possesses one of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves and holds advanced domestic technology. The easing of maritime and financial restrictions under this agreement opens direct legal and logistics channels. This allows Iran to actively support Namibia’s vision of becoming a regional energy hub.”
Tehran is also looking at cooperating with Namibia in mining, including uranium related opportunities, as well as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture, irrigation systems and agro processing technologies.
Beigi said greater stability in global energy markets would benefit Namibia as it prepares to enter the league of oil producing countries.
“Market reactions are natural, but this agreement ultimately aims for long term global energy predictability. For an emerging producer like Namibia, global stability and the secure opening of vital shipping lanes are highly beneficial. It ensures that when Namibia’s full scale production comes online, it will enter a stable, secure and structured global market.”
MINING
Beigi added that Iran is looking at increasing in investment in the mining sector having had Iran’s interest in Namibia’s uranium sector through its historic involvement in the Rössing Uranium Mine.
In that mine, the Iranian Foreign Investment Company held a minority shareholding dating back to the mine’s early development. However, the ownership structure of the mine changed significantly after Rio Tinto sold its majority stake to China National Uranium Corporation in 2019, shifting control of one of Namibia’s most strategic mineral assets.
The changing ownership dynamics have renewed international attention on Namibia’s uranium resources, as global powers continue to seek access to critical minerals essential for energy security and nuclear power generation.
