The effect of energy security on gas export, a case study of Iran

Among the energy exporting countries, Iran is among the largest countries in terms of the share of gas and oil reserves. In the meantime, due to the reliance of this country's economy on the income from energy exports, the topic of energy security and its effects on various economic and social dimensions has always been a topic of discussion among policymakers. Energy security means easy and cost-effective access to various energy sources, which plays an important role in achieving economic goals and development of countries. Therefore, in this research, considering the importance of energy trade, it analyzed the effect of energy security index on gas export in a case study of Iran using the fully modified ordinary least squares method (FMOLS) in the period from 1997 to 2020. The findings of the study show that there is no significant relationship between gas energy security index and its export. In addition, the results show that GDP and exchange rate have a positive effect on gas export, while population density has a negative effect on this variable. Based on the findings of this study, it can be argued that moving towards reducing the dependence of the country's economic growth on the income from the energy sector is the most important pillar of strengthening energy security. On the other hand, strengthening regional ties and expanding commercial exchanges can play a significant role in improving the energy security situation and reducing the effects of sanctions.