Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity said on Tuesday that it is in talks with the United States to move forward with a signed gas import agreement with Turkmenistan, which has not yet been implemented due to Washington’s objections.
Ministry spokesman Ahmed Mousa told Shafaq News that the deal, concluded in October 2024, aims to secure 20 million cubic meters of Turkmen gas per day through a swap arrangement via Iran, managed by the Swiss company Luxtone Energy.
“The agreement has already been signed, but its execution remains pending because of US concerns related to the transit mechanism through Iran,” Mousa said. “Iraq is explaining to the American side that the gas is solely for domestic use and does not violate any international sanctions.”
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He stressed that the agreement is part of Iraq’s broader plan to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on a single supplier. “The goal is to ensure stable power generation until local gas production projects reach full capacity.”
Mousa noted that, while discussions with Washington continue, Iraq is preparing alternative supply routes, including the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Umm Qasr, Khor al-Zubair, and other southern ports expected to be operational by next summer. Baghdad is also negotiating with Qatar and Oman for interim gas imports.
Iraq still relies heavily on Iranian gas to operate its power plants, facing recurring electricity shortages due to limited domestic output and aging infrastructure. The Ministry of Electricity has recently signed several contracts to expand local production through combined-cycle and thermal power projects using Iraqi fuel.
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