On 13 May, 2019 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif met with his counterpart Rashid Meredov and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Ashgabat.
The Turkmen state information agency about:blank reports that during the meeting the sides raised the issues pertaining to transportation and further cooperation in the fuel and energy sector “with extensive opportunities available in the context of favourable geographic location of both countries and enormous raw materials potential”.
According to the news outlet Mehr, as a result of negotiations considerable progress has been reached in resolving trade and economic issues.
It should be emphasized that a few days prior Zarif’s visit to Turkmenistan it became known that Iran formally gave notice to Pakistan for moving the arbitration court for not laying down the pipeline in Pakistan’s territory in stipulated time.
This pipeline is the competitor to the gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran (TAPI).Pakistan’s Prime Minister has previously announced its intention to resume the construction of Iran-Pakistan pipeline project, but the country’s authorities fear possible consequences due to sanctions which had been imposed again on Iran.
Let us recall that the gas dispute between Turkmenistan and Iran has not been settled so far.
In mid August 2018 Turkmengaz filed a lawsuit against NIGC to the International Court of Arbitrations.In October 2018 it was transpired that Iran submitted a counter claim against Turkmenistan.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif