Baku, Azerbaijan, May 1
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
Iran may use Azerbaijan to develop its own gas exports, Hassan Montazer Torbati, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister and managing director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said at a press conference, Trend reports referring to Fars News Agency.
Torbati said that Iran and Azerbaijan have always exchanged gas with each other, adding that the volumes of Iran's gas exports to Azerbaijan are not large.
"Iran and Azerbaijan can hold discussions in this area," he noted.
As to the contract on gas exports to Turkey, Torbati said that it will be possible to discuss the prolongation of the said contract next Iranian year (begins March 21, 2020).
According to Torbati, it is possible to extend each contract during the last 5 years of its duration.
Noting that, on average, more than 40 million cubic meters of gas were exported daily to Turkey and the Baghdad and Basra governorates of Iraq last Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), Torbati said that more than 35 million cubic meters of gas were exported to Iraq this Iranian year (started from March 21, 2019).
"In Iran, gas is swapped in 2 ways – by the NIGC and by the private sector," he said.
Torbati noted that gas swaps coming from Turkmenistan could be expanded by Iran's private sector.
