Iranian Oil Minister Javad Ovji announced Iran's firm determination to pay off its gas debt to Turkmenistan, Iranian Shana news agency reported.  Ovji told this to reporters after meeting with a Turkmen delegation led by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who are on a working visit to Tehran.

Ovji added that the Iranian side had previously imported 40 million cubic meters of gas a day under long-term gas contracts with Turkmenistan.

The minister also noted that the export of Turkmen gas to Iran was stopped under the previous Iranian government due to non-payment to Turkmenistan for the supplied gas.  Therefore, the issue was referred to the International Arbitration Court, which determined the exact amount of Iran's debt.

Ovji praised the talks with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan and a high-ranking Turkmen delegation, consisting of representatives of the energy and banking sectors.

“Taking into account what we have already done, there have been good negotiations on the repayment of the debt to Turkmenistan,” Ovji said, adding that the administration of Iranian President Raisi has made a decision to repay this debt.

He also said that negotiations between Iran and Turkmenistan at the level of experts of the National Iranian Gas Company and the Central Bank will continue in the coming days.

“Thanks to the favorable solutions and proposals we have presented, the debt to the Turkmen side will undoubtedly be settled and we are determined in this regard,” said the Iranian oil minister.

According to him, the resumption of the export of Turkmen gas to Iran could be the first step in the comprehensive development of relations between the two neighboring countries, noting that the policy of the Iranian President's administration is to expand bilateral relations with neighbors, including Turkmenistan.

Ovji also expressed Iran's willingness to export technical and engineering services to Turkmenistan, stating that Iran has great capabilities in the fields of petrochemicals, oil refining, onshore and offshore drilling, as well as equipment for the oil and gas industry that can be supplied to Turkmenistan.

According to him, the main goal of the meeting is to promote relations with the friendly and fraternal country of Turkmenistan.

It should be noted that President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, having met on the sidelines of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO on September 17, 2021 in the capital of Tajikistan, agreed to resolve the gas issue.