Europeans majors caught between sanctions threat, Iran deadline
NICOSIA — Iran has sent an April 18 deadline for two European majors
to agree on a natural gas development project.
National Iranian Oil director Seifollah Jashnsaz said France's Total and
Royal Dutch Shell have until April 18 to decide whether they would
develop two Iranian gas projects in the Gulf, Middle East Newsline reported.
The two Western companies,
threatened with U.S. sanctions, have been hesitating over finalizing a deal
to develop South Pars.
"The last deadline would be the end of Farvardin [the Iranian month that
ends on April 18]," Jashnsaz said.
At the same time, Pars Oil and Gas Co. director Ali Vakili said the
deadline for Total and Shell would expire at the end of June 2008. In March,
Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari said Teheran would not extend the
June deadline.
