Tasnim � The spokesman for the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said despite the 7.3-magnitude earthquake that hit the border region between Iran and Iraq, Iran continues exporting gas to the Arab country.





Despite the temblor that hit western Iran last night, the NIGC�s facilities in the region have remained unaffected and safe, Majid Bojarzadeh said on Monday.

He added that, therefore, the gas exports to Iraq are continuing at a rate of 14 million cubic meters per day.

However, the spokesman said, supplying gas to 40,000 households in the quake-hit areas was halted following the earthquake in order to ensure public safety.

Iran started a much-awaited project to export natural gas to Iraq�s capital Baghdad in June.

The exports are expected to reach as high as 35 mcm/d in the near future.

Gas exports to Iraq - which are meant to address the Arab country�s acute electricity shortfalls, started after two years of negotiations between the two countries. This was seen by the media as a sign that both sides had overcome disputes over the financial terms of the project � what was so far preventing the project.

Iran and Iraq initially signed an agreement in 2013 based on which the Islamic Republic would export natural gas to power stations around Baghdad through a 270-kilometer pipeline.