SHANA - A senior Iranian gas official says signature of gas deals with neighboring countries would ensure security of Iran as well as its neighbors.

Deputy Petroleum Minister for Gas Affairs Hamir Reza Araghi said if Iran signs gas deals with its neighbors, the security of the regional countries would be interlinked, an important point in securing the country.

Araghi, who is also the managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), told a televised interview on Monday evening that import of gas from Iran would not only be a profitable trade for the importing countries, but would also be beneficial for Iran as the importers would run their economies with the gas while Iran would also develop by gas revenues.

Elsewhere in the interview, the official said Iran's gas export to Iraq's city of Basra would begin with 7 million cubic meters per day and ultimately reach 25 mcm/d.