Mehr News Agency cited Mr Hamid Reza Katouzian chairman of the Majlis Energy Committee as saying that the Iran and Turkey gas deal needs to be approved by Majlis.

Mr Hamid said that “According to Iran’s Constitution all the international contracts need to be approved by the Majlis. The recent agreements between Iran and Turkey have not been approved by Majlis, so it is probable that the deal be cancelled.”

Iran and TPAO signed an agreement in 2008 based on which the Turkish side undertook to produce 20.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from 3 development phases of Iran’s South Pars gas field, but the deal has been delayed.

In October Iran gave TPAO one month’s deadline to finalize the deal to develop phases 22, 23 and 24 of South Pars but extended the deadline by 3 months during the Turkish high ranking delegation’s visit to Tehran last month. During the visit Iran and Turkey signed a MoU to broaden ties in the field of gas industry.

As per report, Mr Masoud Mirkazemi oil minister of Iran and Mr Taner Yildiz energy and natural resources minister of Turkey signed the MOU. Transferring Iranian gas to Europe via Turkey, boosting the presence of Turkish firms in Iran’s petrochemical sector and developing Iran’s gas fields were among the MOU items.

(Sourced from Mehr News Agency)