SHANA - Iran has drawn up a lawsuit to file with the International Court of Arbitration against Turkmenistan for its last winter�s stoppage of gas supply to Iran, a deputy minister of petroleum said.

 

Hamid-Reza Araqi, who also heads National Iranian Gas Company, said: �The price of gas, the damage they (Turkmens) inflicted on Iran last winter for gas supply halt and the quality of gas delivered to Iran are three cases claimed by Iran.�
�Iran�s documents are ready to be submitted to the International Court of Arbitration. Turkmenistan has been notified,� he added.
Araqi said that Iran would not refer the case to international arbitration in case NIGC and Turkmengaz reach understanding.
He said Iran would continue to swap Turkmenistan�s gas, adding: �In case of agreement, gas imports from Turkmenistan will continue under contract.�
�Turkmenistan is Iran�s neighbor and the problems created over their gas delivery to Iran is a legal issue and has nothing to do with transactions between Iran and Turkmenistan,� said Araqi.
 

Iran and Turkmenistan signed a gas contract in 1997 for a period of 25 years. Under the contract, Turkmenistan is required to pump at least 23 mcm/d of gas to Iran through a 200-kilometer pipeline.