Turkmenistan has finalized an agreement to supply natural gas to Turkey through Iran, marking a significant step in regional energy cooperation, the country’s state newspaper reported.
According to Neutral Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, chairman of Turkmenistan’s People’s Council, praised the deal during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, calling it a major milestone in energy relations between the nations.
Under the agreement, Turkmenistan’s state-run Turkmengas company will begin supplying natural gas to Turkey’s state-owned BOTAS starting March 1.
“With this agreement, which we have been working on for many years, we will strengthen the natural gas supply security of our country and our region while furthering the strategic cooperation between the two countries,” Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in a statement.
Turkey already imports natural gas through pipelines from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. The new arrangement with Turkmenistan will add another source to its energy portfolio.
Turkmenistan, home to some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves, has been expanding its energy export strategy. Last year, the country signed a deal with Iran to supply 10 billion cubic meters (353 billion cubic feet) of natural gas for shipment to Iraq.
China remains Turkmenistan’s primary natural gas customer, and a major pipeline network facilitates exports. Additionally, the country is pursuing a pipeline project to transport gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India as it seeks to diversify its markets.