BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Iran intends to comprehensively expand and strengthen gas cooperation with Turkmenistan, Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said during a meeting with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov in Tehran today, Trend reports.
According to him, constructive understanding with neighboring countries, especially with friendly and brotherly Turkmenistan, has always been of great importance for Iran, and the current Iranian government is also interested in developing cooperation with Turkmenistan in the energy sector.
Paknejad spotlighted the rapid implementation of the swap of Turkmen gas to Türkiye through Iran, adding that Iran also hopes for the same rapid implementation of agreements in the energy sector, including the Turkmen gas import.
At the meeting, Meredov said that in recent years, relations between Turkmenistan and Iran have taken a new format, and the two countries are in favor of developing cooperation in various fields.
He pointed out that gas exports to Iran, the construction of gas pressure boosting stations and gas pipelines, and the swap of Turkmen gas to various countries through Iran are the three main objects of discussion with the Iranian side.
According to the foreign minister, currently, Turkmenistan produces more than 80 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and it's possible to export a significant part of it in cooperation with Iran.
The Turkmen minister called the imminent start of the swap of Turkmen gas to Türkiye via Iran a sign of positive cooperation between the two countries and said that more steps could be taken to develop relations.
He mentioned that Turkmenistan has its sights set high for gas exports to Iran.
To note, the four-day 18th meeting of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission began in Tehran on May 17. The meeting is chaired by Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh and Meredov.
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