Moscow -- Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has approved the draft of a long-term program for the development of cooperation between Russia and Iran through to 2012, which includes the participation of Russian companies in Iranian oil and gas projects.

The prime minister signed the relevant decree on 24 July, the government information department reports.

The program is aimed at developing trade, economic, industrial, scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries. There is also a plan to increase oil extraction in a project to be implemented by the Slavneft Oil Company and the National Iranian Drilling Company.

As part of its cooperation with Iran, Russia is also expected to help design, finance and construct a number of pipelines in Iran, as well as a gas pipeline between Iran and India. Other plans include an examination of the Nurabad-Hasani oil pipeline, as well as the development of a project to carry Russian oil to Iran.

The two countries also plan to build jointly an underground gas storage facility, as well as to arrange gas storage facilities near the cities of Tehran and Tabriz, Interfax reported.

The program includes cooperation in oil refining.

Iran and Russia plan to improve technological processes at heavy oil refineries in Iran, build refining modules with a capacity of 25,000 barrels a day and create facilities for the primary refining of oil containing large amounts of water and salt at oil wells.

The decree instructs the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade, together with other federal bodies, to conduct talks with Iran to develop the cooperation program.