TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian Chairman of Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce Mr. Yahya Ale Eshaq says an Iraqi delegation is to visit Tehran to talk on ways of settling Iraq’s debts for export of energy and electricity.
Speaking to ILNA, Ale Eshaq said one of the Iraq Electricity Ministry officials has talked about Iran’s gas exports to Iraq as well as debts to Iran for export of energy to Iraq and has announced an Iraqi delegation probably will visit Tehran to settle the differences and paying the debts.
He said Iraqis are worried about the condition of Iran’s gas because the domestic gas consumption in Iran rises and exports of gas to Iraq may face problem and they are looking for getting more gas from Iran. He said Iraqis think that decrease in gas exports to Iraq is due to Iraq’s debts to Iran and for this reason they want to dispatch a delegation to Tehran to resolve the problem.
Touching upon a report claiming that Qatar increases gas export to Iraq and Iran is losing Iraq’s gas market, Ale Eshaq said that currently Iraq is facing gas supply problem and Iran tries to resolve its domestic consumption problem in order to export gas, adding that such reports are published aimed only at destroying the ties between Iran and Iraq.
He said Iraqis are currently in talks with Qatar because they want to supply energy through different channels to meet their domestic demands and it does not meant that now that Qatar gives gas to Iraq, Iraqis will stop purchasing gas from Iran and Iran is losing Iraq gas market. He reiterated that Iraqis’ problem is why Iran’s exports to Iraq are not enough.
Ale Eshaq reiterated that some countries want to export gas and electricity to Iraq but they are unable due several geographical and feasible problems.
He noted as Iran is after diversifying its imports and exports market, Iraqis are the same and they provided their needs through different markets.
