As for Turkey’s gas imports, Russia remains top supplier with 4.45bcm for Q1 but with a market share of just 31%, the lowest figure in MEES records stretching back to 2005.

Iran supplied 2.34bcm for Q1, up 4% year-on-year, with March volumes at 0.83bcm also up both month-on-month and year-on-year. There is as yet no sign that Iran’s gas exports to Turkey (or indeed Armenia) are attracting the same sanctions-related scrutiny that shipments to Iraq have received. This is despite the fact that Iran ships more gas to Turkey (the March volumes equate to 950mn cfd) than typical 750mn cfd Iraq shipments. The US last week granted Iraq a waiver to keep buying Iranian gas over the key summer months but only after a prolonged period of uncertainty (MEES, 24 May). (CONTINUED - 197 WORDS)