Abubakir Shomuzov talking to PIN referred to the Russia prime minister’s recent visit to Pakistan and added Russia had long relations including energy ties with Pakistan and India.

Shomuzov voiced Gazprom’s readiness to participate in the construction and procurement of IPI pipeline.

Pakistan and India established their first oil companies in collaboration with Russia, recalled the official, adding the two countries were using the Russian-made equipment.

“We are willing to cooperate with these two states and the IPI pipeline is one of the giant projects in which that Russia can play its role,” said Shomuzov, adding the pipeline could extend to China, where a great number of people were living there and a big market welcomed the project.

He assured that political issues would not have any impact on the implementation of IP project, predicting that Gazprom would most likely get involve in it.

Shomuzov said the outlook of his company’s cooperation with Iran in oil and gas sectors would be very bright.

“Gazprom is keen to cooperate and participate in all stages of production and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and other products,” he underlined.

Recalling that Gazprom participated in the development and exploitation of phases 2 and 3 of South Pars (SP) gas field, the official added the Russian company was currently negotiating with their Iranian counterparts on reinforcement of cooperation with Iran in oil and gas projects.

Shumazov has taken the helm of Gazprom’s Tehran office since Jan. 2007.

In defiance of U.S. pressure and sanctions, Iran is attracting more foreign investments as its huge oil and gas reserves are a strong magnet for international energy companies.

Iran sits atop the world’s second-largest oil and gas reserves after Saudi Arabia and Russia respectively.

The United States has frowned on deals that Asian and European oil companies have signed with Iran, but Iran last Saturday signed a number of gas development and production agreements worth $30 billion with Austrian energy group OMV.

Under the deal, OMV cooperates with Iran in producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and purchases gas from the country.

Minister of Petroleum Seyed Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh said the signing of a 30-billion dollar deal with OMV was the biggest stride taken so far toward the exports of gas to Europe.