Iran is exploring new opportunities to export natural gas to neighboring countries Azerbaijan, Iraq, Turkey, and Armenia, including through swap deals.

National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) official Mohammad Reza Joulaei was quoted by Tansim Agency (Iran) as saying.

"Presently, there are 10mn cubic meters of gas (per day) imports from neighboring Turkmenistan which is ongoing within the framework of a gas swap deal, 7mn of which is delivered to the Republic of Azerbaijan."

He said current, suitable ways have been paved for exporting 10mn, 30mn, 6mn, and 1mn cubic meters of gas to Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, respectively.

Reportedly, Turkmenistan has started supplying its gas to Azerbaijan through Iran since the beginning of 2022 under the trilateral open-ended contract.

Under the terms, Iran receives (potentially up to 3.0-4.0bn cubic meters of gas per year) from Serakhs, Turkmenistan, to deliver its equivalent to Astara, Azerbaijan.

Iran thus provides gas to its Razavi, North, and South Khorasan, Golestan, and Semnan provinces, which are remote from national gas resources.

Tehran had earlier said it was ready to increase gas exchanges with Turkmenistan to 15bn cubic meters per year. Turkey, Armenia, and Iraq are exploring the option of importing Turkmen gas.

Credits: Eziz Boyarov, Ashgabat