Iran to supply gas turbines to Russia

Moscow and Tehran have struck a deal that would see the Islamic Republic selling 40 domestically produced gas turbines to Russia, Reza Noushadi, the CEO of Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company, told the Iranian oil ministry’s news agency Shana on Sunday.

According to Noushadi, Iran is currently capable of independently producing “85% of … the equipment needed in the gas industry.” This capability allowed it to sign the contract with Moscow, he added. The CEO did not reveal when exactly the deal was struck and when the turbines are to arrive in Russia.

Russian officials have so far not commented on Noushadi’s statements. The development comes as the sanctions policies of the US and its allies have hit industry ties between Russia and its Western equipment suppliers. Earlier this year, state energy giant Gazprom had to gradually reduce gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline due to technical problems related to servicing turbines.

Issues arose due to sanctions on Russia that have prevented the maintenance of some equipment and the delivery of spare parts, the company said at that time. One such turbine, initially supplied to Russia by the German company Siemens, became stuck in Canada, where it had been sent for maintenance, due to Ottawa’s sanctions policy. Berlin eventually managed to get it back but it was never delivered from Germany to Russia.