ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, December 11. Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid arrived in Ashgabat on December 10 to participate in events marking the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen President.
The forum, set to take place on December 12, will bring together global leaders and experts to discuss strategies for strengthening international cooperation, promoting peace, and fostering mutual trust. Among the various discussions expected to take place, a key focus will be the potential for advancing Iraq-Turkmenistan relations, particularly through collaborative projects related to Turkmen gas exports to Iraq. These talks are viewed as an opportunity to further develop energy cooperation and deepen bilateral ties between the two nations.
A significant component of the discussions will center around a trilateral swap mechanism, previously announced by Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity, in which Turkmenistan will supply gas to northern Iran, and in return, Iran will deliver an equivalent volume of gas to Iraq. This arrangement, made possible through prior coordination between the relevant authorities of Iraq and Turkmenistan, aims to address the ongoing shortfall in Iranian gas deliveries that have negatively impacted electricity generation, particularly during peak demand periods.
This initiative is part of Iraq’s broader strategy to stabilize its energy sector and ensure a reliable electricity supply. While the foundational framework for this arrangement has been established, a formal contract between Iraq and Turkmenistan is still under negotiation. Concurrently, Iraqi authorities are working to finalize the necessary financial procedures to facilitate payments within the mutual settlement structure, thus laying the groundwork for the eventual operational implementation of the project.