Saeed Tavakli: Iraq signs new gas export contract with Iran, 11 FEB

 Saeed Tavakli: Iraq signs new gas export contract with Iran

 The CEO of the National Iranian Gas Company, Saeed Tavakoli, confirmed today, Saturday, "The export of gas to Iraq is currently ongoing, and we have recently signed a long-term contract with Iraq."

Tavakoli told the Iranian Mehr News Agency regarding US President Donald Trump's decision last Wednesday to cancel the exemption granted to Iraq to import electricity and gas from Iran as part of new sanctions against Tehran, "The decision represents an escalation of US pressure on Iran, as it pressures Iraq to reduce its dependence on Iranian energy."

Saeed Tavakoli stressed, "The export of gas to Iraq is currently underway, and since we have recently extended a good contract for exporting gas, it is likely that the cancellation of the exemption granted to Iraq to import electricity and gas from Iran was for another form of gas import."

The Iranian official continued, "Fortunately, the Iranian-Iraqi contract is in place, but the volume of exports increases and decreases according to the contractual terms."

Regarding gas imports and swaps, Tavakoli also said, "We do not import gas, but gas imports and swaps, such as electricity, are carried out from Armenia."

The CEO of the National Gas Company also stated regarding the drop in temperatures and the state of gas supply: "Currently, the network conditions are stable, and in the current situation, 72 percent of the gas produced is consumed in the domestic sector, and thanks to the cooperation of citizens, the gas supply network will remain stable in the coming days."

Iranian officials said last year that Iraq owed Iran $11 billion in debt due to the gas it purchased, and the payment of this debt was postponed by Iraq to the extent that Iran was forced, in response, to reduce gas exports due to the heavy debt.  link