The Iranian Minister for Petroleum, Javad Owji, has agreed to revive a long-stalled undersea gas pipeline project to Oman, the official Iranian news agency IRNA report reported on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

According to the report, the agreement to revive the project was reached during the minister's visit to Oman ahead of Monday's Iranian president's trip to the Gulf Arab state.

The proposed undersea gas pipeline has been stalled for nearly two decades after the two countries reached an initial agreement in 2004, according to which Iran was to supply 30 million cubic meters of gas to Oman daily as of 2008 and increase to 70 million cubic meters/day by 2012.

In 2013, Iran and Oman reached another agreement valued at $65 billion for 25 years, according to which Iran was to supply 28 million cubic meters of gas to Oman daily via a pipeline laid under the Arabian Gulf.

The two countries renewed their commitment to implement the project in 2016.

In 2017, Iran announced that it had agreed with Oman to change the planned pipeline route to avoid the water area controlled by the United Arabs Emirates.

However, the project was delayed following price disagreements and the US's insistence on Oman to find alternative suppliers. The North American country withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in 2018, further paralyzing the project.

Iran has the world's largest gas reserve that could help Oman supply its energy-intensive industries and LNG export plants.