Iraq Seeking Rise in Natural Gas Imports from Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Managing Director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hamid Reza Araqi said Iraq has sought to increase its natural gas imports from the Islamic Republic.
Araqi said did not specify any further details – including the new figure demanded by the Iraqis.
Tehran is looking into Baghdad’s demand, he said, but added that any increase in Iran’s gas exports would depend on whether the country could launch new projects in its South Pars energy zone.
He went on to say that Iran’s gas exports to Iraq currently stood at 7 to 8 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d).
Iran started a much-awaited project to export natural gas to Iraq’s capital Baghdad in June.
The exports are expected to reach as high as 35 mcm/d in the near future.
Gas exports to Iraq - which are meant to address the Arab country’s acute electricity shortfalls, started after two years of negotiations between the two countries. This was seen by the media as a sign that both sides had overcome disputes over the financial terms of the project – what was so far preventing the project.
Iran and Iraq initially signed an agreement in 2013 based on which the Islamic Republic would export natural gas to power stations around Baghdad through a 270-kilometer pipeline.
