TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Shana) � Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said Afghanistan has expressed readiness to import 1 million tons of gasoil annually from Iran and both countries will continue negotiations on the value of the deal.

�We discussed Afghanistan�s needs and its import of gasoil from Iran topped the discussions,� he told reporters following a meeting with visiting Afghan Minister of Trade and Industry Humayun Rasa here on Tuesday.

Saying that Afghanistan imports about 200,000 tons of gasoil from Iran annually which will be increased after reaching an agreement on its price, Zangeneh said both sides also negotiated the prospects of exporting CNG to the neighboring country.

�The Afghan officials are also interested to receive 200,000 tons of LPG which needs to be finalized in terms of its price,� the Iranian minister added.
Accompanying Afghanistan�s Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, Rasa arrived in Tehran on Monday for a three-day visit.

Bilateral ties as well as regional developments are on the agenda of negotiations between officials of the two neighboring countries.

By SHANA