Along with the proposal of the resumption of talks on gas exports, Turkmenistan has recently proposed to increase gas exchange to Iran to 10 bcm, according to Fars News.
According to the report, Turkmenistan, feeling pressured by foreign currency shortages and the threat of Iran to refer the matter to arbitration, has recently expressed willingness to resume negotiations, and even announced a new proposal for the gas exchange.
Iran imported gas from Turkmenistan since 1997 for distribution in its northern provinces, but in January 2017 Turkmenistan stopped gas exports to Iran, and at the initial talks the two sides failed to reach agreement.
“Turkmenistan has proposed to increase the current level of its gas swap via Iran to 15 mcm for Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said the spokesman of the National Iranian Gas Company Sayed Moomeni.
“The country sends about 6 mcm of its gas to Azerbaijan via Iran now,” he said.
Since Iran is the only simple way for Turkmenistan to ship gas to Europe, this Central Asian country is trying to keep its destination markets through this new proposal.
As a new step towards the resolution of the gas dispute, the proposal of the Turkmen side could be a new opportunity for Iran to become a gas hub in the region.
