Tehran, Iran, Jun. 15
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
A Turkish delegation will visit Tehran next week to hold talks about the price of gas that Iran currently exports to the country, ISNA News Agency reported on June 15.
Turkey imports about 20 percent of its oil and gas needs from Iran. Ankara has previously requested for a discount on the price of gas it imports from Tehran.
However, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Hamidreza Araqi on June 14 described the request as illogical.
Araqi, also the Managing Director of National Iranian Gas Company, went on to note that Iran has proposed to raise the volume of gas exports to Turkey up to 5 billion cubic meters per year in exchange for giving a discount.
"But the Turkish side neither accepts our preposition, nor agrees the current price," he explained.
"Each country pursues its own interests in a contract," Araqi said, noting that Iran will never give up on its rights.
Iran is currently charging Turkey $490 for every 1,000 cubic meters of gas. It is while Ankara says it has to pay only $335 and $425 to Azerbaijan and Russia, respectively, to import the same amount of gas.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on June 9 held talks regarding Turkey's complaints on Iran's high prices for gas.
Turkey laid a formal complaint against Iran in March 2012. If the court rules in favor of Turkey, Iran will be obliged to provide Turkey a 30 percent discount on gas purchases.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on April 16 that the International Court of Justice will most likely favor Iran in the gas price dispute with Turkey.
In 1996, the Tehran and Ankara signed an agreement, according to which Iran would supply 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Turkey. Under the agreement, Iran should export about 27.3 million cubic meters of gas per day to its northwestern neighbor.
In October 2013, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that Turkey is importing 10 billion cubic meters of gas a year from Iran but would buy more if it were available.
