Turkmenistan is worried that a plan to supply Iraq with gas through a swap deal with Iran could see it slapped with US sanctions. It is therefore demanding that Iraq secures US Treasury approval – effectively killing the deal for the foreseeable future. The conditions were relayed to electricity minister Ziad Fadhel during a visit to Ashgabat on 25 May. Iraq was seeking up to 20mn m3/d (706mn cfd) from Turkmenistan this summer as it faces widespread blackouts. Another plan to secure gas through LNG imports this summer is also stalling (MEES, 30 May).