The Iranian news outlet MEHR reports that Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said that Iran does not need importing gas from neighboring Turkmenistan in the winter period of 2018-2019.
At the same time, Zanganeh said that constructive talks were held between Iranian and Turkmen officials and it was decided that the Turkmenistan gas swap project would continue through Iran to Azerbaijan Republic.
As regards the gas dispute, the Iranian minister added that “talks are underway for settling financial issues between the two countries.
On 12-13 May 2018 Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov paid an official visit to Iran.
In late 2016 a public row broke out between Iran and Turkmenistan after Turkmengaz demanded that the NIGC settle the debt of $1,8 billion.
The Iran media outlets reported that after lengthy negotiations the sides had come to mutual agreement.Despite this, on 1 January 2017 Turkmenistan cut off gas supply to Iran.
In April 2018 the managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said that Iranian and Turkmen experts will review Iran-Turkmenistan differences on their dispute and hoped to reach agreement on the issue so that the case is not referred to the court.