The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president will not affect the investments of French oil and gas company Total in Iran, global news outlets reported the firm's head of gas, renewables and power as saying.
"We have always said that we are interested in returning to Iran on condition that the investments that are proposed to us are sufficiently attractive and in knowing that for us, it was out of the question to do anything that would contravene international rules," Philippe Sauquet was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
"The election that took place in the United States does not change anything," he said.
Trump previously called the accord between Iran and six global powers in 2015 ending the diplomatic impasse over the country's nuclear policy "the worst deal ever negotiated." But he has also accepted it would be hard to get rid of a deal sustained in a U.N. resolution.
Total on Tuesday signed a preliminary deal with Tehran, becoming the first western energy company to do so since the lifting of international sanctions earlier this year.
Under the accord, Total, China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and Iran’s state-owned Petropars are to develop part of a large gas field in the Persian Gulf known as South Pars.
Total is to control 50.1 percent of the $4.8-billion project, with CNPC taking 30 percent and Petropars the remaining stake.
The agreement signals Iran is trying to revive an energy industry crippled by previous international sanctions and speed up projects to increase oil and gas production at a time of low prices, according to analysts.
By Sibel Akbay
Anadolu Agency
sibel.akbay@aa.com.tr