AKIPRESS.COM - Iranian Oil Minister Javad Ovji announced Iran's firm determination to pay off its gas debt to Turkmenistan, Iranian Shana news agency reported.

Ovji told this to reporters after meeting with a Turkmen delegation led by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who are on a working visit to Tehran.

Ovji added that the Iranian side had previously imported 40 million cubic meters of gas a day under long-term gas contracts with Turkmenistan.

The Minister also noted that the export of Turkmen gas to Iran was stopped under the previous Iranian government due to debt to Turkmenistan for the supplied gas. Therefore, the issue was referred to the International Arbitration Court, which determined the exact amount of Iran's debt.