“Access to LNG industry will increase our share of gas trade and will push us closer to our main objective, which is acquiring a 16-percent share in gas trade,” Kameli told Shana.

He said Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has called for more work on LNG projects in the light of Iran’s future gas production.

Kameli said Iran’s top priority would be delivering gas to neighboring countries, adding: “When gas production from South Pars increases, we will have two choices: meeting domestic gas needs and gas exports to neighboring countries and the second option will be converting gas to LNG.”

Noting that LNG projects will take time, he said Iran, which sits atop the world’s largest gas reserves, could not limit its exports to pipeline.

“Entry to LNG market requires access to new technologies,” he said.