Iran plans to export gas to Iraq, UAE and Oman, says oil minister

18 November 2013

But Zanganeh has “no hope” of exporting gas to Pakistan as pipeline stalls

Iran plans to export natural gas to Iraq, Oman and the UAE as its strategy to supply neighbouring Pakistan stalls, the country’s oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said.

In an interview published on the Oil Ministry’s website, Shana, Zanganeh said that Iran has several opportunities for gas exports.

“Currently, gas exports to Turkey are underway and we can reach the European market through this route,” said the minister. “We also plan to export gas to Iraq, UAE and Oman.”

Iran expects to have finalised a deal to export gas to Oman within the next five months as an Iranian company drafting tender documents for the pipeline.

“Throughout talks recently held [with Oman], five options were discussed for gas transmission and finally the best route was chosen,” said Zanganeh. “It was agreed that the documents be prepared for putting to tender for the construction of subsea pipeline.”

The minister was less confident on exporting gas to Pakistan with the development of a cross-border pipeline stalling on the Pakistani side.

Zanganeh’s Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi recently asked Iran for $2bn to complete the construction of its 780-kilometre section of the pipeline.

“We have not said that we will not export gas to this country, but I noted that I have no hope of exporting gas to Pakistan because under the contract we invested billions of dollars… and built the pipeline as far as Pakistan’s border, but no smallest gesture was taken by the Pakistani side to construct the [extension of the] pipeline,” said Zanganeh.

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