Iran can resume natural gas exports to Turkey within three days if there are no further major problems, Iranian Oil Ministry's official website SHANA quoted an official as saying on Saturday. Iran temporarily stopped its gas export after an explosion in eastern Turkey on July 21 damaged the pipeline. Iran had said exports would resume as soon as the pipeline was fixed.
"We can resume natural gas export to Turkey within three days if no particular problem happens," said Valiolah Dini. The Islamic state is Turkey's second biggest gas supplier after Russia, and sells nearly 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey per year.
Iran sits on the world's second-largest natural gas reserves after Russia, but international sanctions over the disputed nuclear programme have slowed its development as a major exporter, by hindering access to modern Western technology.