AFP, Muscat

Oman and Iran signed deals to develop two gas pipelines and an oil field along their maritime border, Oman’s energy minister said Saturday, less than two weeks after Iran’s president visited the sultanate.

The visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on May 23 came amid stalled international talks to revive a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme, leaving the Islamic republic under sanctions.

At the time, the official Oman News Agency reported that the countries had signed memoranda of understanding concerning oil and gas, but did not provide details.

On Saturday, the agency quoted energy minister Mohammed al-Rumhi as saying the agreements were “related to the development of the two gas pipeline projects linking the two countries and the Hengam oil field”.