An Iranian official said on Saturday that European firms are in talks for Iran to join the EU's Nabucco gas pipeline project, which aims to reduce the bloc's reliance on Russia, Mehr news agency reported.

"At the moment some European companies have started unofficial talks for Iran to join this pipeline," Mehr quoted Reza Kasaizadeh, managing director of National Iranian Gas Exports Company, as saying.

He gave no details.

The European Union is planning to build the 3,300-kilometre (2,050-mile) Nabucco pipeline to transport gas from the Middle East and Central Asia to its energy-hungry consumers in Europe while bypassing Russia.

Critics have said that if the Nabucco project is to be profitable it will definitely need gas from Iran.

Iran holds the world's second largest gas reserves.


Agencies