Turkmenistan: Iran Looking to Import More Gas from Ashgabat

Iran recently agreed to increase its purchases of Turkmen gas from 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year to 14 bcm. At the same time, Tehran is taking steps to reduce its vulnerability to Turkmen pressure tactics, a local Iranian official says.

Jamal Livani Safarali, the director of Iran's 9th gas district in the northeastern corner of country, says three projects are nearing completion that will ensure that Iran cannot be hurt by a sudden interruption in Turkmen supplies, the news website Iran.ru reported on July 20.

A gas spat between Tehran and Ashgabat left thousands of Iranian homes without heating in 2008. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

In early July, Tehran reportedly secured a market price for this year's imports, and talks are underway to increase the volume of Turkmen gas imports to 20 bcm annually.