Iran Seeks Dialogue to Resolve Dispute Over Maritime Gas Field

On Tuesday, Naser Kanani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry, affirmed that his country seeks to resolve the dispute with Kuwait over the Al Dorra oil field through diplomatic means.

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The announcement on the Persian Gulf oil field comes just a few days after Iran and Saudi Arabia rejected Tehran's rights to the gas-rich deposit.

"Iran's policy is based on dialogue, cooperation, and engagement. Issues between the parties will be addressed within the same framework," Kanani stated.

"Considering the common interests and the principle of good neighborliness with everyone, including Kuwait, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always paid attention to issues related to the delimitation of maritime borders and the exploitation of common hydrocarbon resources."

Kanani also emphasized that high-level Iranian and Kuwaiti diplomats have held negotiations on the delimitation of the maritime border. The latest round of these discussions took place in March in the Iranian capital.

Last week, the governments of Kuwait and Riyadh rejected Iran's rights in Al Dorra, insisting that the "resources are jointly owned by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait only."

In March 2022, Riyadh and Kuwait signed a memorandum for the exploitation of Al Dorra, with the intention of producing 1 billion cubic meters of gas per day and 84,000 barrels of condensate. Iran objected to the memorandum at the time, arguing that Al Dorra spans Iranian, Saudi, and Kuwaiti waters.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, both members of the political and economic alliance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have invited Iran on several occasions to negotiate the maritime border demarcation. However, they have never acknowledged Iran's rights to Al Dorra.