Tehran, Iran, February 19
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Ali Kardor has denied reports that the French company Total is “backing down” from developing South Pars Phase 11.
The company has actually started planning to build the first pillar of the platform, he told Mehr news agency February 19.
“A team from Total recently visited Iran… They have stressed that they will continue their cooperation with Iran,” Kardor said.
The CEO of France’s Total Patrick Pouyanne said Feb. 9 that the company plans to make a final investment decision on a $2 billion gas project in Iran by summer, but the decision hinges on the renewal of US sanctions waivers.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has said that the country’s Foreign Ministry will be in charge of diplomatic aspects of talks on Total’s plans to enter the Islamic Republic’s oil market.