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Iran's gas exports will reach 10 billion cubic meters by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2015).

The country's gas production rate is expected to increase by 100 million cubic meters per day by the end of year, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported.

The country exported 9 billion cubic meters of gas in the previous year (ended on March 20), according to official of the National Iranian Gas Company Hassan Torbati.

Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on June 28 that Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangane has promised the country's president to increase Iran's total gas production by 80-100 million cubic meters per day.

The country can reach the goal by launching new phases of the giant South Pars gas field.

Zanganeh said on May 3 that the country plans to export gas to Europe via pipeline or in the form of LNG (liquid gas).

"Europeans prefer to diversify their gas and energy sources," Zanganeh said, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported.

"Europeans started negotiations to import Iranian gas nine years ago. But apparently the talks were halted in the previous years," he explained.

Zanganeh went on to note that Iran is a country capable of exporting large volumes of gas and is always willing to provide gas to Europe.

"Once the phases of South Pars gas field come on stream in the next Iranian calendar year (to start on March 1, 2015), Iran will have extra gas to export," he said.

Zanganeh said on April 19 that Iran plans to export 80 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to Asia and Europe in calendar year 1400 (March 2021-March 2022).

"We are planning to export 80 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey, Europe, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Persian Gulf Arab states in calendar year 1400," he said, Iran's IRNA news agency reported.

"We should boost oil, gas, electricity, and petrochemicals through diversifying methods of sale and cooperating with the private sector," he said, adding that the country's oil refining capacity is projected to rise to three million barrels per day.

In March, Zanganeh said Iran forecasts an increase in its crude oil and natural gas production in the current Iranian calendar year 1393, which began on March 21.

Iran's crude oil output is forecast to increase by about 200,000 barrels per day to 4 million barrels per day, and its daily natural gas output is forecast to increase by about 100 million cubic meters per day to 400 million cubic meters per day.