Iran issues fresh warning against Kuwait over Arash gas field row

Iran says it believes in ‘integrated and joint’ extraction with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia from the disputed Arash gas field in the Persian Gulf, warning Tehran will start drilling in the field if Kuwait does so.

The Iranian Vice President for Legal Affairs Mohammad Dehghan reiterated on Thursday that the ownership dispute should be resolved through dialogue.

“Arash is an oil and gas field and part of it belongs to us. We do not have a maritime border with Kuwait, but we discovered the field and drilled rigs there many years ago without taking advantage of it so we won’t create tensions with our neighbors,” Dehghan clarified.

Iran argues that nearly 40 percent of the gas field is located in the territorial waters of Iran, but Kuwait had presented a different border demarcation that puts the entire field within the neutral zone between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and denies Iran any right over the field.

The Iranian vice president hit out at Kuwait for not proposing “any constructive idea so far” and for making agreements with Saudi Arabia on the issue.

Iran began talks with Kuwait in 2000 to develop the gas field in the Persian, but no agreements were reached.

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