MNA � The National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) announced that the new sales contract inked with neighboring Turkey�s BOTA? has nothing to do with Iran-Turkmenistan gas dispute.


�This company constructed the transmission pipelines to northern part of the country with strict planning, to meet domestic demands sufficiently,� reads the statement issued by the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC).

The announcement came after some claims popped up in the media and political debates in Iran accusing the company of compromising over the dispute with Turkmenistan.

Iran and Turkmenistan fell into a gas dispute in late 2016 in a way that Turkmenistan�s gas export to Iran was cut completely in early January 2017 under the pretext of $1.5 billion deferred dues.

Failure in payment of gas due prompted Turkmenistan to report the case to the international arbitration body in order to settle the disputed matter between Iran and Turkmenistan over gas deal.

Skyrocketing price of gas, uninformed gas cut as of early January 2016 and low quality of gas produced by Turkmenistan have been cited as the main reasons behind a complaint lodged by Iran against Turkmenistan.

�The gas deal signed between National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) and Turkmengaz Company of Turkmenistan is an international deal which is subject to certain and definite regulations which have been strictly stipulated in the body of contract comprehensively,� reads another part of the announcement.

In this regard, NIGC reported that Iran�s gas deal inked with Turkmenistan has nothing to do with Turkish BOTAS Company, the public relations department of the company concluded.