Turkey Halts Turkmen Gas Imports Via Iran
Ankara stopped receiving gas routed through Iranian infrastructure after US sanctions pressure intensified during the regional conflict.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Oil and Gas
Turkey has halted gas imports from Turkmenistan that were routed through Iran, following involvement by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control. The arrangement had supplied 1.3 billion cubic metres of gas annually since March 2025.
Why it matters
The halt removes a supply route that Turkey relied on amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Turkey's existing gas contracts with Iran also expire in November 2026, leaving its future energy arrangements uncertain.
The arrangement covered 1.3 billion cubic metres of gas annually, and Botas held an import licence valid until 2033. Turkey's ability to renew its Iran gas contracts, which expire in November 2026, remains unclear.
The players
Botas
Botas is Turkey's state-owned natural gas import and pipeline company, which held the import licence for the Turkmen gas arrangement.
Alparslan Bayraktar
Alparslan Bayraktar is Turkey's Energy Minister, who attributed the halt to escalation between Iran and the United States.
US Office of Foreign Assets Control
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control is the Treasury Department agency that administers and enforces US economic sanctions.
The details
Turkey began receiving Turkmen gas through Iranian infrastructure in March 2025. Turkmenistan cut the flow to Turkey in October 2025, saying the two countries had a short-term contract without agreed volumes or prices.
Timeline
March 2025: Turkey began receiving Turkmen gas via Iran.
October 2025: Turkmenistan cut the gas flow to Turkey.
February 2026: The US-Iran war began.
November 2026: Turkey's Iran gas contracts expire.
2033: Botas's import licence expires.
Market Landscape
The halt reflects how US sanctions on Iran constrain the transit routes that regional gas suppliers can use to reach Turkey. Turkey has spare capacity in the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline, which may shape how it sources gas if Iranian routes stay closed.
Turkish households and industry may face supply uncertainty if replacement gas volumes are not secured before the contracts lapse. The reliance on Iranian routes makes Turkey's gas costs and availability sensitive to regional sanctions and conflict.
The takeaway
Energy routes that depend on sanctioned transit countries can be cut off quickly, so supply planning needs alternatives. Turkey's spare capacity in the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline shows one way to reduce that exposure.
What happens next
Turkey's Iran gas contracts expire in November 2026, a date that will determine its next supply decisions.
Further reading
For more on how sanctions shape regional energy flows, see Oil and Gas.
