Iraq’s electricity ministry denies activation of gas contract with Turkmenistan

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity has firmly denied reports claiming that a gas agreement with Turkmenistan has come into effect, saying that the contract remains inactive and no financial payments have been made. The ministry also emphasized that the ongoing gas supply issues are related to Iranian gas, not Turkmenistan’s.

In an official statement, the ministry declared: “We categorically deny the misleading allegations circulated by some media outlets concerning the gas agreement with Turkmenistan. The contract has not yet come into effect, and no financial transactions have taken place.”

The ministry said that negotiations are still ongoing, specifically regarding the selection of an intermediary company responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of Turkmenistan gas to Iraq. “Claims suggesting Iraq is making daily payments to Turkmenistan are entirely false,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the ministry clarified: “No quantities of gas have been delivered from Turkmenistan to Iraq, and no financial payments have been made. Allegations of Iraq paying $2 million daily are baseless attempts to mislead both local and international public opinion.”

The ministry stressed that the current gas supply disruptions impacting Iraq stem from issues with Iranian gas supplies, governed by a separate agreement, and are unrelated to the contract with Turkmenistan.

“We follow a prudent policy focused on diversifying fuel sources to ensure national energy security, financial transparency, and operational stability. This approach is essential for protecting public funds and preventing waste.”.

The Ministry of Electricity also threatened to pursue action against media outlets deliberately spreading ‘false information’.

“We urge all media outlets to exercise professionalism and accuracy in their reporting and to verify information through official channels before publishing any news that could harm public interest,” the statement concluded.

​​The recent reduction in Iranian gas supplies to Iraq has caused a loss of more than 8,500 megawatts of power, severely impacting the national electricity grid and resulting in prolonged outages. Citizens, frustrated by the worsening situation, have questioned why the gas agreement with Turkmenistan hasn’t alleviated the crisis. The Ministry of Electricity clarified that the Turkmenistan contract has not yet come into effect, as negotiations are still ongoing, particularly regarding the selection of an intermediary company.