BAGHDAD - (Xinhua) - The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced that it is negotiating with Qatar and Turkmenistan to import gas in order to fill the shortage in electric power, stressing that it is still in dire need of Iranian gas and is negotiating with Tehran in this regard.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Musa, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) today (Tuesday) that "Iraq is now in continuous discussions with the Qatari side and Turkmenistan to supply gas with specific parts to fill the existing shortage."

Moussa did not give more details, where these negotiations reached, and how the gas reached Iraq.

He added, "Iraq is still in dire need of Iranian gas," noting that his country has fully paid its gas debts to the Iranian side.

The Ministry of Electricity recently expected an increase in emissions after Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia'a al-Sudani's talks with the Iranian side, during his recent visit to Tehran.

A spokesman for the ministry said, "We expect and hope that there will be an increase in gas releases in favor of the ministry's stations, especially as we enter the peak of winter loads, and then we have a large and implementable plan that is urgent to keep pace with the peak of summer loads from now on."

He added, "There are agreements and contracts signed between the Iraqi and Iranian sides on specific launches in winter and others in summer."

Iraq has been suffering for decades from an electric current crisis that intensifies in the summer, as temperatures rise more than 50 degrees Celsius.