Iran and EU, perspective for a new gas deal?

An Iranian delegation met EU representatives in Brussels this week to discuss the possibility of EU natural gas import from Iran. Iran owns the second largest natural gas resource in the world after Russia. Russian boycott of Ukraine and blocking natural gas export to Europe was the greatest ever dilemma that EU could imagine. Russia showed that it would use every force to regain its supremacy in the 21st century. Ukraine, in return experienced that even with the support of EU is vulnerable and must shell out more esteem to the ex-big brother.

Iran, for its part, is trying to find suitable means for its natural gas export. Implementation of projects such as swapping gas with Turkmenistan in the northeast of the country for its export from its Persian Gulf gauges, exporting natural gas to India through Pakistan and the Indian Ocean pipeline, and selling gas to Turkey are among the most prominent moves in this field.

Though, Iran also faces challenges in exporting its natural gas through these channels. Destiny of the Indo-Pakistani Pipeline, or peace pipeline as named by Iranians, remains to be fuzzy by the recent Indo-Pakistani conflicts on terrorist attacks and Indian allegations of Pakistani support for terrorism, both parties have a controversial engagement in Kashmiri independent issue and, finally, remains the old age belligerency between the two countries.

The Turkish gas pipelines could become vulnerable to attacks from KPP militants if they retake a belligerent stand towards Turkish central government and become active.

However, the gas export price to India and Turkey has also been a source of argument among internal political factions in Iran.

For Europe finding an alternative source of natural gas supply becomes more and more crucial. If Iran is chosen for such shift then EU needs to review its policies towards Iran’s demand for peaceful use of energy, which by itself means a rift with the US policy. EU has been supporting Israel in its policies in the Occupied Palestine which flares Iran’s resentment. EU is also sponsoring many resolutions in the UN for what it calls Iran’s disregard for human rights.

Iran has a highly sophisticated network of natural gas providing fuel for heating and industrial use to most of rural and urban areas in the country. Officials say that the remaining parts of the country would be covered by the network before the fourth five year development plan is finished next year.