Iran's gas exports to Turkey hit 6.22b cu. m.

The company said Iran pumped 1.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey in the four-month period from late March to late July, Petroenergy Information

Network reported.

Iran and Turkey inked the gas export deal in 1996 when the Islamist Welfare Party took power in Turkey. Then Turkish president Necmettin Erbakan came to Tehran to sign the deal. Under the agreement, Iran will export up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas to its neighbor over a period of 25 years.

Both sides were pleased with the deal at the time, but things went sour after Erbakan stepped down and Turkish secularists took power.

According to the deal, Turkey is supposed to purchase gas from Iran and also facilitate Iran's gas exports to European countries.

Turkish authorities recently began complaining about expensive gas prices and are trying to bargain to have the prices lowered, but Iran has rejected the Turkish proposal.

The NIGC also said the country has so far imported 24.53 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan -- including 1.3 billion cubic meters in the four-month period from late March to late July.

HG/HG

END

MNA