The news outlet MEHR reports that the head of the National Iranian Gas Company Hassan Montazer Torbati expressed Iran’s willingness to resume gas trade with Turkmenistan.
“During the ICA ruling we expressed our interest to continue the import of Turkmenistan’s gas,” Montazar Torbati said.
In late June Iran-based media outlets reported that the International Court of Arbitration announced its verdict regarding the dispute between the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) and “Turkmengaz”. The full text of the verdict has not been disclosed by any of the parties.
According to some sources, the International Court of Arbitration obliged NIGC to settle the debt for the gas imported from Turkmenistan from 2007 to 2013.
At the same time, according to the news agency IRNA, Iran’s Oil Ministry refuted mass media reports claiming that Iran is obliged to settle the debt to Turkmenistan.
Let us recall that in late 2016 a public row broke out between Iran and Turkmenistan after “Turkmengaz” demanded that the NIGC settle the debt of $1,8 billion.
The Iran media outlets reported that after lengthy negotiations the sides had come to mutual agreement.Despite this, on 1 January 2017 Turkmenistan cut off gas supply to Iran.
In Mid August 2018 “Turkmengaz” filed a lawsuit against the NIGC to the International Court of Arbitration. In October 2018 Iran submitted a counter claim.