Iran may sell LNG directly to Indian corporates

New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) Iran today said it will sell liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracted in June 2005 to Indian private players directly, if no agreement is reached with the government.

''We will sell five million tonnes of LNG per year to the Indian private firms, once the government-run companies withdraw from the contract,'' Iran's special representative of Petroleum Minister H Ghanimi Fard told reporters here on the sidelines of a conference.

The state-owned firms such as IndianOil Corporation, GAIL and BPCL signed a deal worth 22 billion dollars in June 2005 for importing five million tonnes of LNG from Iran that will start from 2010.

But, the Tehran's new government has refused to entertain the deal unless a higher price is paid and has begun dialogue with private sector firm to sell the gas.

''We have sent proposals to the Indian government for reviving the LNG deal and are waiting for its reply,'' Mr Ghanimi said.

UNI