While following the EU's talks with Iran about its nuclear program, Ankara is shocked to learn the EU pledged its support for Iran becoming the main transit route for Central Asian oil and gas, disappointing Turkey's hopes of being the main energy corridor in the region.

Although Iranian govt. says it rejected the proposal, Ankara seeks more information from both parties. “The news leaked by Iranian officials raises questions about the EU's plans for Turkey, one of its candidate states. We believed in a principle of solidarity between the EU and its candidate countries,” says one Turkish diplomat.

While following negotiations between the European Union and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program, Turkey was shocked by leaked information about the bargaining process: The EU pledged its support for Iran to become "the main transit route for Central Asian oil and gas," disappointing Turkish aspirations of being the main energy corridor in the region.

A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, leaked the story to international news agencies that the EU had offered to support Iran becoming the main transit route for Central Asian oil and gas in exchange for a freeze to Tehran's nuclear program.