MANAMA, Bahrain, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Iran and Bahrain signed a memorandum of understanding for trade in natural gas and for the construction of a pipeline between the two countries.
Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari met with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdul Hussein Mirza, in the Bahraini capital, Manama, to negotiate a deal to double the country's gas supplies in order to meet domestic demands, Gulf Daily News said.
The deal to bring 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas to Bahrain is expected to conclude in 2009, and construction on a gas pipeline should begin within four years.
"If the final talks, scheduled for next year, are successful, we shall discuss the construction of a pipeline to carry gas from the Pars Field -- a joint field between Iran and Qatar -- to Bahrain," Mirza said.
The Bahraini minister said his country had reached additional agreements to bring liquefied natural gas to its ports following the completion of receiving facility upgrades.
"The idea is to secure enough gas supply for our future needs," he said.
