Iran has offered itself as an energy supplier in connection with the Ukraine crisis and the feared gas shortage in Europe in winter. "As is well known, we have the necessary gas reserves and the potential and could therefore also cover Europe's needs in this regard," said foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Monday.

In the run-up, however, the Vienna nuclear agreement would have to be reinstated and, above all, all economic US sanctions against Iran would have to be lifted, according to the spokesman, according to the Fars news agency.

Iran has the second largest gas reserves in the world

With the world's second-largest gas reserves, Iran could be an energy supplier for Europe, but observers say it has little scope for gas exports due to domestic gas demand. Spokesman Kanaani also admitted that there had been technical problems with gas production in recent years due to US sanctions. In the meantime, however, these have been remedied and Iran no longer has any restrictions.

Iran and the six signing parties to the Vienna nuclear deal – China, Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and the USA – are currently working on reviving the 2015 agreement. A final agreement has not yet been reached, but the Iranian spokesman expressed confidence that it will could soon be possible.