Iran’s gas exports: can past failure become future success?

Iran is an enigma – a country always expected to become a major exporter that became a net importer. For those concerned with the future of international gas trade, it is the perennial “elephant in the room” – a country which could, one day, become a major exporter. Its resource endowment means that Iran can never be ignored in discussions of potential future gas trade, but such discussions need to be tempered both by the history of pipeline and LNG projects which have meant that, since the 1970s, the country has never been more than a marginal player in international gas commerce. David Jalilvand’s paper looks at why Iran has failed to become a major gas exporter over the past several decades, and the prospects for it to emerge as a significant force in international gas trade.

By: David Ramin Jalilvand