During a meeting on Tuesday with Rashid Meredov, Turkmenistan’s foreign minister, Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad noted the ongoing joint commission between the two countries and its diverse agenda, stating that such meetings can boost trade exchanges.

Paknejad said Iran’s foreign policy prioritizes constructive engagement with neighboring countries, especially Turkmenistan as a friendly and brotherly nation. He added that the current administration is determined to strengthen energy cooperation with Turkmenistan.

The minister highlighted the rapid implementation of a gas swap deal to transport Turkmen gas to Turkey via Iran, expressing hope that other energy agreements, including gas imports from Turkmenistan, would progress just as swiftly.

Gas swap to Turkey: A symbol of strong Iran-Turkmenistan ties 

Meredov stressed that Iran and Turkmenistan have historically enjoyed strong relations, which have taken on new dimensions in recent years, with both sides eager to expand cooperation across various sectors.

He identified three key areas of discussion with Iran: gas exports to Iran, joint development of pressure-boosting stations and pipelines, and gas swaps to third countries via Iran. Turkmenistan currently produces over 80 billion cubic meters of gas annually, a significant portion of which could be exported in collaboration with Iran, he noted.

Meredov described the swift launch of the Turkmen gas swap to Turkey via Iran as a testament to strong bilateral ties. "Building on this positive experience, we can take further steps to expand relations in this field," he said, adding that Turkmenistan has major plans for gas exports to Iran.