Iran’s Parliament to Look Into Gas Field Information Leakage by Total: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian parliament’s Energy Commission plans to check the accuracy of reports suggesting that the French energy giant Total has leaked secret information about Iran’s South Pars gas field to Qatar, the spokesman for the commission said.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Asadollah Qarakhani said the Energy Commission will look into reports about leakage of Iran’s confidential information to Qatar.
The Iranian parliamentarian emphasized that if the leakage is confirmed, it can be pursued through international courts.
If information about the country’s oil projects and development plans is given to the economic rival, it would inflict irreparable damages on the country’s economy, he added.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the country will definitely sue Total if the company is proved to have leaked the secret information about Iran’s South Pars gas field to Qatar.
Speaking at a television talk show, Zanganeh said Iran has given information to Total about only two out of the 30 phases of the South Pars gas field.
Total is negotiating with Iran on cooperation in development of the gas field, which is located in the Persian Gulf along the maritime border between Iran and Qatar.
On February 9, chief executive of the French oil major said Total plans to make a final investment decision on a $2 billion gas project in Iran by the summer, but the decision hinges on the renewal of US sanctions waivers.
Patrick Pouyanne said South Pars 11 will be among a couple of projects to be approved by the company to start by the summer, if nothing is modified regarding the sanctions.
Total was the first Western energy company to sign a major deal with Tehran after the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
