Iran has possible role in Nabucco

ANKARA, Turkey, July 21 (UPI) -- The consortium governing the Nabucco gas pipeline to Europe suggests language in an intergovernmental agreement leaves room for Iran as a potential supplier.

Ankara welcomed regional and international supporters last week to the signing of an intergovernmental agreement on the $10.3 billion Nabucco gas pipeline.

Nabucco is seen as the foundation to European efforts to diversify an energy sector dependent on Russian natural gas.

Despite political support for Nabucco, the project lacks financial backing and firm commitments from supplier nations.

Iran, however, was not specifically included in the provisions of the Ankara agreement in order to win the explicit backing of Washington. But the language of provisions in the Ankara agreement was crafted in such a way that Iran may still play a role, Turkish daily Today's Zaman reports.

That language is in line with comments from Reinhard Mitschek, managing director of Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH, who said the consortium "has never, ever excluded any source" for the pipeline.

Analysts expect the project will face difficulties meeting its ambitious transit capacity without Iran, which sits on some of the most abundant gas fields in the world.

Nabucco will travel from the Caspian region through Turkey to European energy markets.