TEHRAN, February 18. /TASS/. Russia and Iran have made progress on the issue of gas imports, Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said, adding that a deal could be signed in the near future.

"As for the issues related to gas imports, we have made progress on this issue with our Russian colleagues and we hope that in the near future we will be able to sign an agreement for implementation," he told a press conference following the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Despite an increase in domestic production, Iran will "continue to seek opportunities" to import Russian gas due to a "serious imbalance," the minister added.