Gazprom Neft said Friday that it was moving forward on an accord to develop Iranian fields after a visit from the Persian Gulf nation’s deputy oil minister to Moscow.

Gazprom Neft and National Iranian Oil aim to get a feasibility study for the Azar and Changuleh fields approved by the end of March, the Russian company said. Gazprom Neft chief executive Alexander Dyukov met with Deputy Oil Minister Hossein Noghrehkar-Shirazi during last week’s visit.

Development of Iranian oil and gas resources has been slowed by international outcry against the nation’s nuclear ambitions. Dyukov said in December that current sanctions “don’t bother us,” a month after signing an accord on the fields with National Iranian Oil.

(Bloomberg)