TEHRAN July 30(Shana)--Iran favors gas markets in Asia and the neighboring states over Europe for the export of its gas, a senior Iranian gas official said.

Ali-Reza Kameli, head of National Iranian Gas Exports Company (NIGEC), said gas export to neighboring states and Asia is Iran's first priority for reasons like adjacency, higher prices and growing consumption.

Iran needs to lay pipelines as long as 2,000 to 4,000km for exporting gas to destinations in Europe, while for neighboring countries the length hardly exceeds 200km, Kameli said.

Furthermore, for transporting its gas to Europe, several countries will charge Iran for exports through their soil which reduces Iran's earnings in such projects.
Besides all, the trend of gas consumption in Europe is downwards which is not favored by Iran.

Iran holds the world's biggest oil and gas reserves. It sits atop 34tcm of proven natural gas in its reserves that make up 18% of the world's proven gas reserves.

By SHANA