Top official: Europe may need Iran gas
Europe keeps the possibility of importing gas from Iran open as it seeks to diversify sources of energy, EU Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of EU energy ministers in the Latvian capital of Riga, Canete said Iran was a new possibility for imports of gas by Europe if Tehran's nuclear negotiations led to a final agreement.
Iran is heading to a new round of talks with the US, Russia, China, Germany, France and the UK in an effort to reach a final settlement on the country's nuclear program.
"It’s clear that if finally there is in the month of June a final agreement with Iran, it opens new possibilities in the future," the German news agency dpa quoted Canete as saying.
The Europeans are working on a route they call Southern Corridor in order to transfer the Caspian gas from Azerbaijan.
But energy experts say the country does not have enough gas to make the pipeline viable, and that is where Iran comes to the picture.
Canete said the Southern Corridor will "have the possibilities of going further away to Turkmenistan and Iran in the future".
The European Commission has also hinted at stepping up energy cooperation with Iran.
According to BP estimates, Iran sits on 34 trillion cubic meters of gas which accounts for 18 percent of the world’s total and largest reserves, putting the country ahead of Russia and Qatar.
The Europeans are looking for alternative sources of energy as tensions rise with Russia which is their biggest supplier of gas.
In a conciliatory gesture, Canete said Russia would remain a big supplier.
The Russians are touting a new route called the Turkish Stream which bypasses Ukraine. The pipeline would carry the Russian gas to Turkey and further to Greece.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran can serve as a reliable and steady source of natural gas for Europe.
Speaking during a visit to Kazakhstan, Zarif said Iran was already a trustworthy gas partner for Asian economies.
"Iran, on par with Russia, enjoys all the resources to provide gas to Europe," he said in Astana.
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