Iran reduces gas exports to Turkey after Turkmen cut

TEHRAN, Jan 1 (Reuters) – Iran has reduced natural gas exports to Turkey after Turkmenistan halted supplies to Iran, an Iranian energy official said on Tuesday, adding he expected Turkmen deliveries to be restored by the end of the week.

An Iranian news agency, Fars, said Iran had slashed its daily sales to Turkey by around 75 percent to 4-5 million cubic metres due to Turkmenistan’s move and the cold winter weather.


Iranian officials said on Monday Turkmenistan had stopped daily exports of up to 23 million cubic metres of gas to Iran. The Central Asia producer blamed operational factors but some Iranian media suggested it might be linked to a pricing dispute.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said he had “strongly urged” Turkmenistan to resolve the technical problems in a phone conversation with his Turkmen counterpart.

Iran, a small net importer of gas despite its huge reserves, normally gets 5 percent of its needs from Turkmenistan and the supply disruptions caused shortages in some northern areas.
People queued for alternative fuel to heat their homes and formed long lines at bakeries as they could not cook at home because of lack of gas, state television footage showed.

“I had to wait three hours for 20 litres of oil,” one women said in Golestan province. “I have a one-month-old baby at home. What should I do?” one angry man said.

Reuters