TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad announced on Wednesday the start of gas transfer from Turkmenistan to Türkiye via his country.
During an interview with the Shana News Agency affiliated with the Iranian Oil Ministry, Paknejad also confirmed the finalization of the contract for the project.
The implementation of the project would have significant impact on Iran's relations with Turkmenistan and Türkiye, especially in the areas of gas trade and other petroleum products, Paknejad said.
He said the project was an important step towards strengthening Iran's status as a regional energy hub and indicative of the Iranian administration's determination to promote energy diplomacy.
Türkiye's state-owned pipeline operator BOTAS and Turkmenistan's Turkmengaz signed the gas supply contract in early February. In the initial phase, up to 2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas will be transported annually from Turkmenistan.
With an annual gas consumption of about 50 bcm, Türkiye relies heavily on imports, mainly from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. ■
