Iran threatens to exploit disputed Gulf gas field

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said Iran "will explore and exploit" the Al-Durra oil field, located in the waters of the Persian Gulf, "if there is no desire for understanding and cooperation" with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, countries that reject that Tehran has rights over the field.

"If there is no desire for understanding and cooperation, Iran will take into account its rights and benefits as well as the exploitation and exploration of the resources and will not tolerate any violation of its rights," Owji told Iran's official Shana oil ministry agency.

The Islamic Republic has so far expressed its desire to resolve the dispute with Kuwait over Al-Durra through dialogue despite the refusal of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to cede the rights to the field to Tehran.

However, the Persian country has adopted a tougher stance after Kuwait announced a few days ago that it will begin production operations at the field without an agreement on border demarcation with Iran.

The Iranian minister reiterated that his country "has always taken the path of negotiation and understanding", and said that even so "Iran wants an integrated and joint operation" for the exploitation of Al-Durra.

In early July, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia rejected Iran's alleged rights in Al-Durra and insisted that its "resources are jointly owned by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, only".

The two Arab countries signed a memorandum in March 2022 to exploit Al-Durra with the intention of producing 1 billion cubic metres of gas per day and 84,000 barrels of condensate.

Iran rejected the memorandum at the time, considering that Al-Durra crosses Iranian, Saudi and Kuwaiti waters.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) political and economic alliance, have repeatedly invited Tehran to negotiate the demarcation of the maritime border, although they have never acknowledged that Iran has any rights over Al-Durra.