TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Tehran called on its partners in Baghdad and Damascus to come to Iran to discuss gas exports to the Mediterranean, a gas executive announced.
Baghdad last week agreed to the terms of a pipeline that would deliver Iranian gas to Syria through its territory.
The pipeline could carry around 3.8 billion cubic feet of gas per day through Iraq. As much as 3.8 million cubic feet of gas per day could be used by Iraq to power electrical plants with gas, Tehran adds.
Iran is eager to gain better access to European and Central Asian energy markets in the face of new sanctions imposed by Washington and the European Union. Tehran said the new pipeline could pave the way toward a similar measure with Turkey for European gas exports.
Asghar Sohilipour, an export director at the National Iranian Gas Co., said the new gas pipeline would enter Iraq at the border province of Ilam, the Energy Ministry's Petroenergy Information Network reports.
He added delegates from Baghdad and Damascus were called to Tehran to discuss the project, though he declined to offer a date for the pending meeting. No timeline for the pipeline was announced, though Tehran said it has set up a working group to discuss the project.
