Iran claims it has signed a gas deal with Oman will see the Islamic republic export gas though a pipeline from March 2012.

The Iranian state news agency reported that a gas will be transported to the Iran-Pakistan border, where it will then be sent through a pipeline to Oman.

The claims have yet to be verified by the Oman government, but previous deals have been scuppered by Iran wanting too much for its gas.

Oman is in desperate need of additional gas to fuel its industrial diversification plans and many industries would welcome Iranian gas being pumped into the Omani network.

Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves after Russia.