SHANA -- A senior Iranian gas official said the country�s natural gas exports will cross 60 million cubic meter per day by the end of the current Iranian calendar to March 20 2019.

Speaking to reporters, Hamidreza Araqi, deputy Iranian petroleum minister for gas affairs, said Iran�s total gas production will reach 250 bcm/y and its exports will hit 60mcm/d this calendar year.

Araqi, who is also the CEO of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said his company, NIGC, contributes to the supply of over 70% of the country�s energy and fuel supply, adding all the power plants, industries, exports and household sectors are dependent on natural gas in Iran.

Iran and Turkmenistan, the mainstays of gas deals
Touching on the issue of gas exports to neighboring countries, he said: "The issue of gas exports is of particular importance to us; we not only increase our production in quantitative terms, but also, based on our plans, improve the quality of the gas we supply to the distribution networks."

The NIGC director furthers spoke about the latest results of the gas disputes between Iran and Turkmenistan, adding it has been decided that experts review the matter within the next two months, as agreed by the presidents of the two countries.

It the two neighbors struck an agreement upon assessments of the experts, the matter will no longer have to be resolved an international arbiter, he added.

The official also said that once Iran starts gas exports to Iraq�s Basra, its exports will reach 60 million cubic meters per day.

Iran and Turkey have signed a gas deal for export of 30 mcm/d of Iranian gas to Turkey, he added.