Iran, Oman Sign Gas Deal

Senior Iranian and Omani energy officials signed a contract on the supply of gas to the Arab nation.
The contract was signed on Wednesday during President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Masqat.

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh told reporters on the sidelines of the signing ceremony that the contract followed long talks and meetings held with his Omani counterpart in Tehran.

Zangeneh said that during a visit to Tehran by Oman’s Sultan Qaboos seven months ago, the two sides drafted an agreement to export Iran’s gas to Oman.

In relevant remarks before leaving Tehran for Masqat on Wednesday, Zanganeh was asked if Iran has come into terms with Oman for entering the gas retail market of the Arab country. “Some agreements have been held in this regard and we will reach good results during this trip (to Masqat).”

Iran sits atop the world’s largest gas reserves. Iran is currently producing more than 700 mcm/d of sour gas which is fed into petrochemical plants, power plants, domestic industries, oil wells and households. A portion of this production is exported.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underlined that they attach great importance to the consolidation of Tehran’s relations with the Middle-East countries, specially with the Persian Gulf littoral states, in order to protect and promote peace and security in the region.