“The Iranians argue that our prices are twice higher compared to other offers they had received,” a senior official with the state pipeline company Botas told PipeWire. “But there is still a possibility for an accord. Talks in Tehran helped create a general understanding for both sides.” A Turkish government official said that the transporting Iranian gas into Europe via Turkey was already a complex issue. The United States, Turkey’s closest western ally, considers Iran as a rogue state, and has expressed its discontent with the plan. A US diplomat in Ankara said Washington had warned Ankara that business deals with Iran worth more than $20 million would draw US sanctions. But Erdogan said efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation with neighbouring Iran were not against any other country. Turkey and Iran also failed to settle an continuing dispute over the price of Iranian gas Turkey buys under a take-or-pay contract. Turkish and Iranian energy officials failed to ink a formal deal on the price of Iranian gas supplies despite eight hours of negotiations in Tehran. Turkey demands a reduction in the price of Iranian gas after Ankara had reached a compromise with another regional supplier, Russia.
