Turkey is opposed to an Iranian plan to build a new pipeline to transport natural gas to Europe and urged for the planned Nabucco project pipeline to be used instead, Reuters reported.
In a separate report, ntvmsnbc.com said Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler will visit Iran next month and sign the deal after both parties agreed on the investment model and plan of three natural gas fields in the country's South Pars region.
Turkey and Iran had earlier failed to conclude expected energy accords during the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Turkey in August. The United States, which is seeking to isolate Tehran over it nuclear program, opposes the plan.
Guler had earlier denied that the natural gas deal with Iran would be suspended and he said he would visit Tehran to sign when the next deal was ready.
Under the deal, Turkey's state-owned petroleum company TPAO will explore in Iran's South Pars field and gas will be piped to Turkey for consumption or re-export to European markets.
