Iran warns Turkmenistan to resume gas supplies soon

Tehran: Iran will stop buying Turkmen gas altogether if its neighbour does not resume supplies cut off two weeks ago, oil minister Gholamhossein Nozari was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Nozari spoke to Iran’s Fars News Agency as a state-owned television station and a leading member of parliament said that Turkmenistan wanted to double the price for the natural gas it sells to Iran.


Turkmenistan halted daily deliveries of up to 23 million cubic metres to Iran late last month. It blamed technical problems, but Iranian officials say Ashgabat also seeks a higher price for the natural gas it ships to Iran.

“Turkmenistan must first start supplying gas and then come to discuss [the price],” Nozari said. “Otherwise we will announce that we don’t need Turkmen gas.”

Gulf News