ANTALYA, Turkey, April 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Turkey wants to extend a natural gas supply contract with Iran that is due to expire in the coming months, but negotiations have not yet begun due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Saturday.

Speaking to a small group of international media on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Bayraktar said Ankara remains interested in securing Iranian gas to ensure supply continuity.

"There's no negotiation right now, but we might sit and discuss a potential extension," Bayraktar said.

The gas contract between Turkey and Iran is set to expire within the next few months "but we haven't started negotiations due to the current circumstances in the region," he said.

Bayraktar said Turkey faces no short- or medium-term supply risks, despite the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

However, he said higher energy prices driven by regional tensions were having a significant impact.

"The prices of gas and the prices of oil affect us very significantly, like everybody in the world," Bayraktar said.

"That's why this is not only others' problem, an Asian problem, because they cannot reach diesel or crude oil, but it's also our problem," he added.

Bayraktar said developments involving the Strait of Hormuz once again highlighted the importance of energy diversification.

What happens in Hormuz "is telling us once again how diversification is crucial for a country's energy security and how we can deal with this issue collectively".

"It's not only Turkey's issue to address, but it requires a collective effort," he added.