Tehran says ready to boost transit of Turkmen gas to neighboring countries

ASHGABAT. Aug 16 (Interfax) - Iran is ready to transit Turkmen gas to neighboring countries, given the successful experience of transiting gas from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan via Iran, the Mehr news agency quoted Mehdi Safari, Iran's foreign minister, as saying.

Mehdi Safari made the remarks in his meeting with Shahin Abdul Rahmanov, Turkmen deputy prime minister, on the sidelines of a conference of transport ministers from landlocked countries that took place in Ashgabat on August 15-16.

Safari said at the meeting that Iran is ready to increase cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sectors.

He also mentioned Iran's capabilities for exporting technical and engineering services and manufactured goods to Turkmenistan as well as the possibility of providing Turkmenistan with access to the open waters and southern ports of Iran such as Bandar Abbas and Chabahar ports.

The Turkmen minister emphasized the need to take advantage of opportunities for cooperation and trade between Iran and Turkmenistan.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said Tehran was ready to capacity to supply Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan via Iran. Earlier, at the beginning of June, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji signed a memorandum of understanding in Baku, according to which gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan through Iran will double.

Gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan through Iran began in January 2022, in keeping with a trilateral agreement between Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan signed in 2021. The planned annual volume of gas supplies was 1.5 billion cubic meters, so in accordance with the new agreements, the volume of these supplies could increase to 3 bcm per year.