TEHRAN - Export of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Iran’s Doqaroun border to Afghanistan has increased by 200 percent in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), Fars New Agency reported, quoting Doqaroun Customs Director General Mohammad Kouhgard as saying on Tuesday.

“So far 98,417 tons of LNG were exported to Afghanistan through Doqaroun border customs, showing a four-time rise compared to the corresponding period last year,” Kouhgard said. 

Iran exported 44,929 tons of LNG to Afghanistan during the same period last year, he added. 

Currently, 10 tanker trucks carry liquefied gas from Doqaroun Border Terminal to Afghanistan on a daily basis.

About 80 percent of the exported gas consists of raffinate and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), he said, adding, “100 percent of Iran’s gas exports to Afghanistan is carried out through Doqaroun Border to Herat in Afghanistan.”

Accordingly, 3,600 fuel tankers were loaded in Doqaroun Border towards Afghanistan last year (ended March 20, 2019), he stated.

He put the total liquefied gas volume exported to Afghanistan from the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi in a recent year at 145,113 tons.

Doqaroun Border Terminal is able to deliver up to 1,500 tons of liquefied gas to tankers every day.

Doqaroun is located 18 kilometers from the city of Taibad bordered with Afghanistan in Khorasan Razavi Province. 

Last month, a senior energy delegation from Iran visited Kabul, in a bid to further increase energy cooperation between the two countries and to further discuss power supply to Afghanistan.

Iran is the main energy supplier of Afghanistan, providing the poor neighboring country with electricity, oil, oil products and gas. Due to Kabul’s heavy dependence on energy supplies from Iran, the U.S. sanctions has not affect the cross-border interactions and trade between the two countries.

EF/MA