Azernews.Az

Iran plans to export gas to two Arab states, ISNA news agency quoted National Iranian Gas Company's managing director Javad Owji as saying. However, he did not explicitly name the two Arab countries.

Iran has the possibility to export gas to Syria, the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf littoral states, Owji said.

Iranian gas has many customers, he said, adding that 30 million cubic meters of gas is exported to Pakistan and 25 million cubic meters of gas is exported to Iraq.

The new round of EU sanctions will not be effective and the only party that will suffer from these sanctions is the EU itself, the head of Iran's parliamentary budget committee, Gholamreza Mesbahi-‎Moqaddam said on Sunday.

"EU has decided to put the sanctions on Iran, while some European countries still import Iranian gas. It shows that the only party that is going to suffer from these sanctions is the EU," he added.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman also said on Tuesday that tough new European Union sanctions on Iran will not force Tehran back into negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program.

"We think the error in calculation which these countries are pursuing will distance them from a favorable result," said Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman.

"We recommend that instead of taking the wrong approach and being stubborn and using pressure...with a logical approach they can return to discussions," he said.

The EU agreed further sanctions against Iran's banking, shipping and industrial sectors, cranking up financial pressure on Tehran in the hope of drawing it into serious negotiations on its nuclear program.