Officials from the Italian oil and gas company Eni met recently with the Iranian oil minister to discuss overdue contractual payments, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Monday.
Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted the managing director of Iran’s Petroleum Engineering and Development Company on Monday as saying Eni had held talks with minister Bijan Zanganeh “a few days ago”.
Eni, which stopped investment in Iran in 2001, is among a number of companies being owed money from Iran’s government allowing it to recoup previous investments by being paid in oil.
“Eni reiterated its interest in Iran, providing sanctions are lifted and contract terms are mutually favourable,” the spokeswoman said.
If Iran agrees a nuclear deal with the West that would curb sanctions, experts maintain it would take several years before foreign investors enter the oil-rich country and have urged companies to remain cautious.
