"Ahmadinejad will travel to Russia next week to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and hold talks with Mr Putin," Iranian Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

Araqchi said Ahmadinejad will discuss a number of issues, including the situation in crisis-hit Syria.

Both Tehran and Moscow have staunchly backed the government of President Bashar al-Assad in a war against the militant groups in the more than two-year conflict.

According to the GECF website, the meeting will be held in Moscow on Monday, the second such meeting in two years.

Leaders of the world's biggest gas suppliers ended their first summit in Doha in 2011 by reiterating the need for a fair gas price.

GECF has been working for a fair price for gas but denies it aims to control prices or become a group like the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Gas prices are currently determined either in long-term contracts between sellers and buyers, which some exporters index to oil, or on spot markets.