IRANIAN OFFICIAL: TURKMENISTAN SHOULD CONSIDER IRANIAN PIPELINE OPERATORS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.06.2009 01:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkmenistan should consider Iranian pipeline
operators for exporting natural gas to Iraq, Iranian officials say.

Reza Almasi, the managing director at the Iran Natural Gas Transmission
Co., said alternative options to deliver gas to Gulf nations are too
expensive, upi.com reports. "The required investment for pipeline
construction under the sea is three times more than the land," he
said. "Not to transit its natural gas through Iran, Turkmenistan has
to sign a contract with Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia."

Almasi noted pipeline transits were among the safest and most reliable
ways to transfer natural gas, adding Iran would work to develop its
gas pipeline grid to entice future developments.

The Iranian company currently exports natural gas to Turkey and
Armenia and imports gas from Turkmenistan. Iran has lobbied for a
role in regional energy security, pushing for participation in the
planned European Nabucco gas pipeline. Iran and Syria, meanwhile, had
signed a memorandum of understanding in April for the construction
of the Persian Pipeline. Iranian, Syrian and Turkish officials also
signed a trilateral package of deals that included the development
of upstream activities, drilling and exploration.