Turkey’s energy minister said on Saturday that Turkey’s long-term natural gas import contract with Iran is set to expire in July and that no talks are currently under way on extending the deal, even though Ankara may still need Iranian gas to help secure supplies, Reuters reported.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar made the remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.

The contract covers 9.6 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Actual deliveries have often remained below that level.

Turkey imported 7.6 billion cubic meters of gas from Iran in 2025, which accounted for 13 percent of its total gas imports.

“According to our forecast, we might need this gas pipeline or the gas flow from Iran for the security of Turkey’s supply,” Bayraktar said.

“There is no negotiation ongoing right now,” he said, adding that the two sides could still discuss a possible extension.

He said no negotiations had started under the current regional circumstances, referring to the Iran war.

Iran has been one of several major gas suppliers for Turkey, which depends heavily on imports to meet domestic energy demand.

Turkey has sought in recent years to expand its supplier base to reduce risks tied to price shocks, political disputes and supply disruptions.

Bayraktar also said Turkey was looking to diversify gas supplies through other routes, including possible Russian LNG.

Local media reported earlier this month that Ankara had granted a long-term license for LNG imports from Russia to the state pipeline operator Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ).

BOTAŞ received a 10-year import license, a type of authorization previously granted only for countries with which Turkey has long-term LNG supply contracts, including Algeria and Oman.

Bayraktar said, however, that Turkey has not yet begun importing LNG from Russia.

Russia remains Turkey’s largest gas supplier.

Gas arriving through the Blue Stream and TurkStream pipelines makes up about 35 percent of Turkey’s overall gas mix.