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Turkey halts Turkmen gas imports via Iran under US pressure
Turkey halted imports of Turkmen gas routed through Iran after US sanctions authorities became involved, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. The interruption highlights how US pressure and regional tensions can disrupt energy supplies, while Turkey seeks gas for its own market and for export to Europe.
Turkey began receiving gas under a deal for 1.3 billion cubic metres a year in March 2025, but Turkmenistan stopped deliveries in October, citing the short-term contract and a lack of agreement on volumes and prices. Bayraktar said Turkey was not paying Iran for transit, but the US-Iran conflict still led to the imports being stopped. He said Turkey could double exports to Europe using spare capacity, and described Turkmen gas as a potential alternative as Azerbaijan’s reserves decline; a Caspian pipeline faces infrastructure and maritime-zone disputes, while Turkey’s gas contracts with Iran expire in November.
In short
- US pressure halted Turkmen gas imports routed through Iran.
- The deal was for 1.3 billion cubic metres a year.
- A direct Caspian route faces infrastructure and maritime disputes.
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The case for
Halting the imports may be a prudent response to US sanctions pressure and the risks of worsening US-Iran tensions, helping Turkey avoid legal or financial exposure and protect wider economic ties. It may also give Ankara reason to pursue more durable supply arrangements, while spare capacity could still support gas exports to Europe.
The case against
Stopping the flow may leave Turkey with fewer supply options just as it seeks to serve domestic demand and expand exports to Europe. Turkmen gas could diversify supplies as Azerbaijan’s reserves decline, and relying on US pressure to shape an energy decision may constrain Turkey’s room to manage its own regional relationships.
Explained simply
Turkey imports natural gas from several countries to supply homes, businesses and industry. Turkmenistan has large gas reserves, but it has no direct pipeline to Turkey, so the gas deal relied on sending supplies through neighbouring Iran.
The key countries are Turkey, which buys and transports the gas; Turkmenistan, which produces it; and Iran, where the pipeline route runs. The United States also matters because its sanctions on Iran can affect trade and transport linked to the country, even when a shipment is not a direct payment to Iran.
Turkey is also a route for gas exports to Europe, and it has discussed using spare pipeline capacity to send more. Finding reliable supplies matters for Turkey’s energy needs and for its role in European gas markets, but new routes across the Caspian Sea would require major infrastructure and agreement over the sea’s maritime zones.
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