Kuwait protests at Iran step to develop gas field

Kuwait protested on Tuesday against Iran's intention to unilaterally develop a disputed offshore gas field in the Gulf unless an agreement is reached, Kuwait's state news agency KUNA reported.      

Iran said on Sunday it would launch full-scale unilateral development of the field if Kuwait does not respond to its offer of joint development.      

Kuwait's Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's charge d'affaires and handed him a letter saying that negotiations were still ongoing between the two countries and development could not take place before an agreement is reached, KUNA said.      

The comments came following Iran fresh threat on Tuesday to take action if the U.S. Navy moves an aircraft carrier into the Gulf, Tehran's most aggressive statement after weeks of sabre-rattling as new U.S. and EU financial sanctions take a toll on its economy.      

The Arash gas field is located on Iran-Kuwait's water border and it is called Dorra in the Kuwait part of the field.   

The field's gas reserve is estimated at one trillion cubic feet along with some 310 million barrels of oil.   

Kuwait and its neighbor Saudi Arabia have protested to non-Arab Iran on its drilling for gas in the disputed field when the three states have not reached an accord on demarcating their sea borders in the northern Gulf.     

Iran has the world's second largest gas reserves but has struggled for years to develop them due to tightening international sanctions that have kept away foreign energy firms with the capital and technology it needs.   

-AP