Iran, Turkmenistan to Ink a Deal for Gas Imports Soon: Oil Minister
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A gas agreement will be signed between Iran and Turkmenistan in the very near future, Iran’s minister of oil said, adding that under the agreement, daily import of 10 million cubic meters of gas from the neighboring country will start in a few weeks.
Speaking on the sideline of his meeting with Executive Chairman of Turkmenistan's State-Run Gas Producer Turkmengaz Batyr Amanov on Tuesday afternoon, Javad Owji said the gas swaps with the Republic of Azerbaijan started at the outset of the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi with the annual volume of between 1.5 and 2 billion cubic meters.
With the agreements made in this regard, the volume of gas swaps has increased twofold over the past year, he stated.
Iran’s daily import of 10 million cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan will start soon in the current (Persian calendar) month of Khordad (June-July), Owji said, adding that Turkmenistan is the world’s fourth largest producer of gas with rich gas reserves and Iran enjoys the capacity of receiving between 40 million and 50 million cubic meters of gas daily to import and transfer gas at its borders.
Turning to Iran’s previous debt to Turkmenistan for gas imports, the oil minister emphasized that Iran’s $1.650 billion worth of debt to Turkmenistan has been fully paid in cooperation with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).
Iran will witness the improvement of gas network pressure in northeastern part of the country following the import of gas from Turkmenistan, he added.