Iran’s natural gas exports to Turkey increased significantly in the first two months of 2026, reaching approximately 1 billion cubic meters, a 3.5-fold rise compared to the same period in 2025. Data from the European Commission’s statistics center showed that Iran supplied 930 million cubic meters of gas to Turkey in January and February 2026, up from just over 270 million cubic meters in the first two months of 2025.

This surge follows a trend observed in 2025, when Iran’s total gas exports to Turkey climbed to 8.17 billion cubic meters, marking a 16% increase from the previous year. The existing gas supply agreement between the two countries, set to expire in July 2026, commits Iran to deliver 9.6 billion cubic meters annually. However, actual gas flow volumes have often fallen short of this contractual target.

Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar recently indicated that Ankara is interested in extending the natural gas contract with Tehran. Despite this, formal negotiations have yet to commence, partly due to ongoing tensions linked to the broader geopolitical conflict involving Iran and the United States. The conflict is currently under a ceasefire, which has influenced the pace of diplomatic and commercial discussions.

In 2025, Turkey imported 7.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Iran, accounting for roughly 13% of the country’s total gas imports. The remaining imports came from various other sources, underscoring Iran’s role as a significant, though not dominant, supplier within Turkey’s diversified energy portfolio.

The developments in Iran-Turkey gas trade reflect broader regional energy dynamics amid fluctuating supply lines and geopolitical considerations. How the current ceasefire and geopolitical landscape will impact future energy agreements between the two countries remains to be seen.