Iran and Oman are interested in pursuing closer ties and shared investments in the energy sector, Iran's oil minister was quoted as saying on Sunday after talks in Tehran with Oman's foreign minister. Bijan Zanganeh said the most important shared project between the two countries was a planned undersea gas pipeline to connect Iran's vast gas reserves to Omani liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants. Oman last month said it expected speedier completion of the pipeline under the Gulf now that sanctions on Iran have been lifted, but the project has also been delayed by price disagreements and U.S. pressure on Muscat to find other suppliers. (Reuters)