Link to article: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/iran-looks-to-political-gains-from-turkmenistan-azerbaijan-gas-deal-analysis-687405
Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan signed a gas swap deal for up to 2 billion cubic meters per year being imported annually from Turkmenistan and sent to Azerbaijan through the Iran Transmission Line Network. This deal aimed to benefit Iran by positioning themselves as a critical gas supplier and strengthening ties in Central Asia and with Azerbaijan. This agreement makes a huge step towards positive energy relations between Iran and Turkmenistan after a rocky history. Iran sees this deal as being incredibly powerful in helping their political relations with other countries, strengthening their foothold in the gas sector, and expanding trade with Turkmenistan. Iran has shown concerns about other pipelines like the TAPI line and other Trans-Caspian pipelines that bypass Iran. Turkmenistan, is the fourth-largest holder of gas resources in the world, and now the new Iranian government cares about strengthening relations to benefit economically.
As economics is one of the biggest driving factors for conflict on the global scale along with gas and oil being a huge cause of conflict in this region, this deal will bring together Iran, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan making them better allies and showing cooperation and mutual benefit from this agreement. It will also connect Iran to Central Asia and increase Iran’s holdings in the area. Coming shortly after an iran-azerbaijan rift on the border, this shows a great deal of trust and success as they also signed a potentially significant agreement on energy cooperation recently.
Iran and Azerbaijan share strong religious and ethnic ties making cooperation between the two countries rather easy and common. In the constructivist’s perspective, you can see the two countries, with shared cultural, political, religious views, are apt to cooperate easily and freely. It is Iran’s national interest to increase their foothold in the oil and gas sector through the Iran Transmission Line Network while also benefited Turkmenistan by boosting their economy through the exports and ultimately Azerbaijan will receive the gas. The connection between these countries, historically good relationships, and mutual benefit made the deal easy.