Iran is considering natural gas exports via Türkiye to Europe amid the ongoing energy crisis that has arisen after Russia halted gas sales to EU countries following the Russia-Ukraine war, the Iranian Deputy Minister of Petroleum and CEO of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Majid Chegeni, said on Thursday.
'If Iran happens to export natural gas to Europe, it will be transported through Türkiye,' Chegeni told the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA).
Chegeni first voiced his country's gas export plans to Europe last year.
'Iran is studying this subject, but we have not reached a conclusion yet,' Chegeni had been quoted as saying by Iranian official news agency Shana.
Iran has the world's second-largest natural gas reserves after Russia; however, the country's economy has been severely hit by several sanctions by the US and western powers after Washington withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018.
Since the election of Ebrahim Raisi as president last year, efforts have been made to resurrect the accord and lift restrictions on Iranian oil exports; however, disagreements between the key stakeholders have prevented the signature of the agreement.
Russia dramatically restricted gas delivery to Europe due to heavy sanctions imposed by western nations after the Russia-Ukraine war, forcing the region to look for alternative gas sources.
(Anadolu Agency, May 25, 2023)
