Gas: Is price increase behind Turkmenistan's 50 per cent reduction in deliveries to Iran?

Turkmenistan has reduced gas deliveries to Iran by 50 percent since Saturday. An official blamed the cut on technical and operational factors.

However, at the same time he also hinted that a future gas price rise could be an underlying factor.

Iran imports about 10 million cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan every day, he said, but it was not clear if this was before or after the reduction.

A report by Fars news agency suggests it may be the amount after the reduction in sales. The agency quoted the general director of the gas company as saying Iran imported between 23 million and 24 million cubic meters from its Caspian Sea neighbour daily.