ISTANBUL: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed hope yesterday that his country and Turkey would soon conclude natural gas and electricity deals. “We have reached important agreements on natural gas and electricity. God willing, we will complete them as soon as possible,” Ahmadinejad told a press conference here as he wrapped up a two-day visit to Turkey.
There were expectations that Ahmadinejad’s talks with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on Thursday would see the two countries sign an accord for a new pipeline to carry natural gas to European markets. But the agreement failed to materialize and the Turkish press said yesterday that the talks had been hit by differences over pricing. “Officials are still conducting talks on this issue.... As you know projects of this kind take time as they depend on investment,” Ahmadinejad said, describing Turkey as one of the “most important routes” for Iranian gas to reach Europe.
Last year, Ankara signed a preliminary deal with Tehran to carry gas from Iran and Turkmenistan to Europe and to develop three gas fields in Iran. The deal was immediately criticized by the United States which is pushing its allies, including Turkey, to cut business with Iran as the West threatens Iran with new economic sanctions over its nuclear program. After Russia, Iran is one of Turkey’s largest providers of natural gas. Turkey buys gas via a pipeline stretching from the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz to Ankara, a conduit frowned upon by the United States.
Ahmadinejad, who met Turkish and Iranian businessmen earlier in the day, later attended yesterday prayers at the 17th century Blue Mosque, where he was cheered by hundreds of supporters.
Ahmadinejad was scheduled to leave Turkey yesterday after talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.