Managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) says by increasing the volume of gas imports from Turkmenistan, Iran has the chance to expand gas exports to countries like Oman, Pakistan and Turkey.

Expressing views about the expanding gas trade with Turkmenistan, Mr. Javad Oji, NIGC's managing director said; Islamic Republic of Iran is fully ready to import and transit Turkmenistan's gas.

He further noted that in order to promote Iran's place in world gas trade, NIGC plans to increase gas imports and at same time to increase gas exports to neighboring countries.

Concerning the expanding gas imports form the neighboring country, Mr. Oji said gas imports form Turkmenistan would increase by six billion cubic meters per year and would stand at 14 billion meters per year.

Oji stipulated that these agreements have been achieved following last week's Iranian minister of petroleum negotiations with high-ranking officials from Turkmenistan including Turkemen president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

 Iran aims to meet gas demand of the northeast part on the country by importing gas from Turkmenistan. To this end, a 35 km gas pipeline has been constructed from Turkmenistan to Sarakhs city in the northeast part of Iran linking to Khangiran gas processing plant.

First phase of Iran - Turkmenistan gas pipeline was constructed and came on stream within one hundred days.

The second phase of the gas pipeline, with a capacity to transfer 45 million cubic meters per day, will comes online before starting next winter.