Iran says deals with Gazprom "almost finalised"

TEHRAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister said on Tuesday deals with Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) to develop two phases of the huge Iranian South Pars gas field and other areas of cooperation were "almost finalised", a news agency reported.

"In today's negotiation, agreements for the joint development of two phases of South Pars, development of oilfields and setting up a joint company between Iran and Russia's Gazprom have been almost finalised," Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying.

He said working groups had been set up to "finalise talks within two months and we move in the direction of signing agreements." (Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian and Hossein Jaseb)