Iran-Turkmenistan plan gas-for-goods deal

Tehran, May 5, IRNA - Iran’s Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has said the country is envisaging gas-for-goods deal with neighboring Turkmenistan. “Iran intends to prepare grounds for exporting goods to (Turkmenistan) in return for gas purchase from Turkmenistan,” Zanganeh said in a meeting with Turkmen Vice-President Khoja Muhammad Muhammadov in Tehran recently, the Petroenergy news network SHANA reported on Monday. He called on Iranian manufacturing companies to make necessary arrangements for exporting more items to Turkmenistan. Zanganeh also said Tehran will continue to import natural gas from Turkmenistan at the current level. Last February, Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said Iran and Turkmenistan have the capacity to double their trade exchanges to $10b. Iran is Turkmenistan’s second largest trade partner after Russia. end