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Türkiye has suspended natural gas imports from Turkmenistan through Iran amid pressure linked to US sanctions, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has revealed, raising fresh questions about Ankara's ambitions to become a major transit hub for Central Asian gas supplies to Europe.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Bayraktar said the interruption was connected to restrictions involving the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), according to Middle East Eye.

“We stopped because of the OFAC, (US Office of Foreign Assets Control), somehow involved in this,” Bayraktar said. “Although we were not paying anything to Iran, the situation escalated between Iran and the US.”

Türkiye began receiving natural gas from Turkmenistan in March 2025 under an agreement envisaging annual supplies of 1.3 billion cubic metres through Iranian infrastructure.

The arrangement was intended to diversify Türkiye's energy imports while providing Turkmenistan with an additional route to international markets.

Turkish state energy company BOTAŞ had secured an import licence for the arrangement extending until 2033.

However, Turkmenistan suspended deliveries in October 2025, initially attributing the interruption to the expiration of a short-term agreement and the absence of mutually agreed supply volumes and prices.

Earlier in 2026, Bayraktar indicated that imports through Iran could resume, but the plans were never implemented.

His latest remarks suggest that escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, including the US-Iran war that began in February, complicated efforts to restore the arrangement.

Turkmen gas could strengthen Türkiye's role as European energy hub

Despite the interruption, Bayraktar emphasised that Türkiye retains significant capacity to expand natural gas transit towards European markets.

He said the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), which transports Azerbaijani gas through Türkiye, has sufficient spare capacity to accommodate substantially larger export volumes.

According to the minister, Türkiye could potentially double the amount of gas transported to Europe through the existing network.

Bayraktar also pointed to Turkmenistan's substantial natural gas reserves as a potential source of additional supplies for both Türkiye and European consumers.

He suggested that Turkmen gas could provide an alternative as Azerbaijan's existing reserves are gradually depleted.

However, transporting significant volumes of Turkmen gas westward would require overcoming longstanding infrastructure and political challenges.

A direct Trans-Caspian gas pipeline connecting Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan has been discussed for years, but the project has faced obstacles related to investment, regional politics and disagreements over maritime economic interests in the Caspian Sea.

Such a connection could allow Turkmen gas to enter Azerbaijan's pipeline network and subsequently reach Türkiye and European markets through the Southern Gas Corridor.

Iran sanctions create further uncertainty

The suspension comes as Türkiye faces uncertainty over its existing natural gas supply arrangements with Iran.

Ankara's gas contracts with Tehran are due to expire in November, and it remains unclear whether the Turkish government intends to renew them under the current geopolitical circumstances.

US sanctions targeting Iran have intensified during 2026, affecting financial transactions, energy-related operations and commercial relationships involving Iranian entities.

For Türkiye, the disruption highlights the difficulties of developing alternative energy corridors that depend on infrastructure passing through countries subject to international sanctions.

For Azerbaijan, the renewed discussion of Turkmen gas underscores the potential importance of the Southern Gas Corridor as a future transit route for additional Central Asian energy supplies, although the necessary cross-Caspian infrastructure remains undeveloped.