Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji said on Sunday that his country adheres to its "rights" in the Durra natural gas field, a field where Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have agreed to co-produce as their exclusive natural wealth.
"If there is no desire to reach understanding and cooperation, Iran will secure its rights," the Iranian minister added, stressing that Tehran has supported "peaceful solutions" on border issues, but "will not tolerate any loss of its rights."
The Iranian oil minister said that his country puts the issue of gas exploration and exploitation in the Durra field (Arash field according to the Iranian name) on its agenda, and does not accept that its rights are lost in any way, as he put it, stressing that Tehran welcomes the settlement of border and maritime affairs with neighboring countries through dialogue and peaceful tracks.
Kuwaiti Oil Minister Saad al-Barrak said – in televised remarks last Thursday – that his country will start drilling and production in the Durra field without waiting for the demarcation of the border with Iran.
Tehran's claim
In return, Iran demands that the Durra field be exploited jointly and unanimous with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while the two countries insist that they alone have "the right to exploit the natural resources in the submerged divided area," including the Durra gas field.
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia called on Iran to negotiate for the demarcation of the border, with Riyadh and Kuwait as one negotiating party, while the Iranian side would be a second party.
The Durra gas field was discovered in Gulf waters in 1967 and is the subject of a long-standing dispute between Kuwait and Iran.
The field is expected to provide about one billion cubic feet of gas per day, equally between the Kuwaiti and Saudi partners.
Kuwait and Riyadh signed in March 2022 a document to develop the joint Durra field in the submerged divided area, but Tehran said that the document is "illegal" because it participates in the field, and must join any action to operate and develop it.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said at the time that "there are parts of it within the range of unspecified waters between Iran and Kuwait."