New Delhi: Petroleum Minister Ram Naik is likely to visit Tehran later this year to discuss Iran's offer to sell 2.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India.

"I will be visiting Iran shortly to finalise a memorandum of understanding for co- operation in energy sector," Naik said.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh last week sidestepped his country's proposal to export natural gas through a pipeline passing through Pakistan to offer Indian national oil firms equity in its oil and gas fields in exchange for New Delhi buying 2.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG.

"We need LNG. But how much, when and at what rate? These are commercial considerations which will be discussed by (state owned) Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Iran's national oil company NIOC," he said adding Zanganeh had invited him to Tehran to finalise the deal.

Tehran, which has mandated BHP of Australia to study the possibility of constructing a gas pipeline from South Pars gas field in Iran to India across Pakistan, made no fresh offer for gas export through the proposed pipeline, he said.

"Iran recognised our concern for safe delivery of gas at our borders... The feasibility study for an underwater line from Iran to India is going on schedule. No discussions were held on the onshore pipeline passing through Pakistan," he said detailing his meeting with the Iranian Oil Minister.

India would study the offer and the domestic demand scenario particularly in the light of new gas discoveries and five million tonnes of LNG imports from Qatar, before committing to purchase gas from Iran, sources said.

PTI