Iran has started negotiations with Turkey to extend the existing gas deal for another period, deputy petroleum minister for international and commercial affairs announced on Monday.
The existing agreement for gas exports to Turkey is valid until 2026 and the National Iranian Gas Company is in talks with the Turkish side to extend the accord, Amir Hossein Zamaninia was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.
Iran is Turkey's second biggest supplier of natural gas after Russia. Iran sells about 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey annually under a 25-year supply deal signed in 2001.
The Iranian gas has been transported to Turkey via a 2,577-km pipeline running from Iran's northwestern city of Tabriz to the Turkish capital Ankara.