|
Tehran: Iran will stop buying Turkmen gas altogether if its neighbour does not resume supplies cut off two weeks ago, oil minister Gholamhossein Nozari was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Nozari spoke to Iran's Fars News Agency as a state-owned television station and a leading member of parliament said that Turkmenistan wanted to double the price for the natural gas it sells to Iran.
Turkmenistan halted daily deliveries of up to 23 million cubic metres to Iran late last month. It blamed technical problems, but Iranian officials say Ashgabat also seeks a higher price for the natural gas it ships to Iran.
"Turkmenistan must first start supplying gas and then come to discuss [the price]," Nozari said. "Otherwise we will announce that we don't need Turkmen gas."
Shortages
Iran, a small gas importer despite its huge gas reserves, gets about five per cent of its needs from Turkmenistan and the supply disruption caused shortages in some northern areas as well as a reduction in Iran's gas exports to Turkey.
The disruption is particularly sensitive now because of some of the coldest winter temperatures for decades in Iran, pushing up demand for heating fuel. In one northwestern Iranian city, the mercury has plunged to minus 30 degrees Celsius.
Iran's foreign ministry said yesterday Iran was in talks with Turkmenistan but was discussing technical, not price issues.
The English-language Press TV, however, said in a report that Iran had, in principle, agreed to a price hike.
|
