Iran not to wait for Turkey to export gas to Europe

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the country is not going to wait for Turkey to export its gas to Europe, adding that Tehran is considering another route for that purpose.

According to Press TV, Zanganeh told reporters at a press conference after the 17th extraordinary ministerial meeting of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Tehran on Saturday evening “We are considering an option other than Turkey’s route for exporting gas to Europe.”

The minister noted “The issue (Iran’s decision on gas exporting route) hinges on Turkey, and how the country is going to look at the matter.”

Referring to the amount Turkey plans to charge in transit fees, he said Ankara’s current offer is too high.

Known as the world’s top gas reserves holder with an estimated 33.8 trillion cubic meters, Iran is an attractive market for Europeans seeking alternative sources to improve their resilience to gas supply disruptions.

Russia is now the biggest supplier of gas to Europe, with about a third of Europe’s current gas requirements covered by Russian gas.
Back in April, Iran’s ambassador to Turkey said Tehran was working out details of a project to export its natural gas to Europe through Turkey.

In the same month, Miguel Arias Canete, the European Union’s Energy Commissioner, said they were open to importing Iranian gas, which could break their dependency on Russia.