Iraqi Ministry of Electricity refutes claims about Turkmenistan gas agreement
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity refuted allegations reported by some media outlets regarding the gas agreement with Turkmenistan, stating that the contract has not yet been executed as negotiations are ongoing to determine the intermediary company that will ensure uninterrupted delivery of Turkmenistan gas to Iraq.
In a statement, the ministry clarified, "The contract with Turkmenistan has not entered into force as negotiations are still underway to identify the intermediary company that will guarantee the uninterrupted flow of Turkmenistan gas to Iraq. Therefore, claims that Iraq pays daily sums to Turkmenistan are entirely false."
"We officially confirm that no quantities of Turkmenistan gas have been released to Iraq, and no financial payments have been made thus far, completely debunking claims of daily payments amounting to two million dollars, which aim to mislead local and international public opinion," the ministry stressed, adding that "the current gas shortage in Iraq pertains to Iranian gas, which was contracted in a separate agreement, not Turkmenistan gas."
The ministry highlighted that it adheres to a prudent policy in managing this issue, focusing on diversifying fuel sources to ensure national energy security and independence, safeguard public funds, and prevent waste. It also noted that the ministry reserves the legal right to prosecute media outlets that deliberately spread false information to disrupt the Iraqi government's efforts to diversify the energy sources necessary for operating its power plants and avoid reliance on a single source.
Recently, several activists and media outlets reported that Iranian authorities were seizing Turkmenistan gas destined for Iraq through their pipelines, obligating Iraq to make payments. On October 19, the Ministry of Electricity signed an agreement with Turkmenistan to supply up to 20 million cubic meters of gas daily to Iraq. The ministry noted that Swiss company Luxton Energy would facilitate the transportation of Turkmenistan gas to Iraq through the Iranian pipeline network using a swap mechanism.
Iraq's gas imports are crucial to its energy strategy. In 2023, imports rose to 10,117.610 million cubic meters, up from 9,429.610 million in 2022, marking an all-time high.
Iran has been a key supplier, but Iraq is negotiating to secure gas from Turkmenistan. An October 2024 agreement aims to supply up to 20 million cubic meters daily, reducing reliance on a single source. Iraq plans to cut gas flaring to 20% by 2025 and eliminate it within three years.
