Iran fails to meet conditions in natural gas contract: Turkey

ANKARA

Iran has failed to meet some technical conditions regarding the setup in the natural gas contract with Turkey, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez has said.

Last week, Turkey’s Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (Botaş) lowered the natural gas flow to large industrial sites and power stations by 40 percent because of a disruption in pipeline gas imports from Iran.

Iran cited technical failures and maintenance works for the disruption on Jan. 20.

Turkey relies on Iran for around 10 percent of its gas imports during winter months.

The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry has warned that businesses would suffer electricity outages as a result.

“Iran did not meet the conditions regarding the natural gas pressure. The Iranian side said that there was a leakage and our teams traveled to the site where the problem occurred. We demanded the repair work be delayed to a later date given harsh winter conditions. But they responded that they could not take such a risk,” Dönmez told a meeting with industrialists.

He recalled that in the past years some technical issues were also experienced in Iran’s natural gas delivery to Turkey and those problems with the gas flow were resolved without households and companies being affected.

In the face of the supply shortage from Iran, companies floated the idea that instead of working at half capacity, they would suspend operations for a couple of days, Dönmez said, adding that plans were made in line with those suggestions.

He noted that the Turkish officials have been in contact with their Iranian counterparts since the problem emerged and that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raised the issue with Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi during a phone call which took place on Jan. 22.