TEHRAN - Iran has exported 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas to Iraq since late June, Shana reported quoting the managing director for the Iranian Gas Transmission Company, Saeed Tavakoli, as saying on Saturday.

According to Tavakoli, Iran has agreed to export up to 25 million cubic meters of gas to Baghdad on a daily basis and exports of the same amount of gas to Basra will also start as soon as Iraq is ready.

Iran signed two contracts in June to export gas, one for the Iraqi capital Baghdad and the other for southern Iraqi city of Basra.

The two countries initially signed a deal in 2013 for Iran to supply Iraqi power stations, but officials in the past blamed poor security in Iraq for hampering implementation.

Iran, which has huge gas reserves alongside its oil resources, also exports gas to Turkey.

Iran’s exports to Turkey witnessed an increase of 80 percent during the first seven months of 2017 and stood at $4.5 billion.

EF/MA