Iran Oil Ministry, Russian Gazprom to sign cooperation memorandum

TEHRAN, July 14 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Gazprom Corporation and the Iranian Oil Ministry will sign a memorandum on mutual understanding on cooperation in the oil and gas sphere in Tehran on Sunday, reported state-owned television of the Islamic Republic, referring to IranianDeputy Oil Minister Hossein Nogrekar Shirazi.

"Several discussions will precede the signing of the memorandum," he emphasised. According to the official, "cooperation between Iran and Russia in all spheres, especially in energy, is very wide, and we hope toboost it in future".

Itar-Tass sources confirmed that a high-powered Gazprom delegation would arrive in Tehran on Sunday for talks with their Iranian counterparts, but they do not comment so far on the agenda of comingmeetings.

On February 19, corporation board chairman Alexei Miller visited the Iranian capital. At the time, an understanding was reached by the results of the visit on Gazprom's participation in developing two or three blocks of the South Pars deposit (world's largest gas condensate deposit Iran shares with Qatar) as well as on cooperation with its subsidiary companyGazprom Neft in a project on Iranian oil production.

The talks confirmed mutual interest in strengthening advantageouspartnership between Gazprom and Iran in the energy sphere.