Negotiation with foreign oil companies denied, Iran

The Iranian Oil Ministry's international affairs department denied any negotiations with six foreign oil companies or inviting them to visit the country's oil industry projects. Head of the Oil Ministry's International Affairs Department Mansour Moazzami told Shana on Tuesday that the ministry invites major and reputable foreign companies in general. Moazzami denied the news recently published by some news agencies and newspapers saying that the oil minister had invited Shell,Total, Repsol, Inpex, OMV and Statoil to visit Iran’s oil industry projects in a bid to start cooperation. Meanwhile, he stressed that the ministry is seeking to maximize its interests through boosting cooperation in international arena. He told the oil ministry's website that cooperation with international oil companies would go ahead through holding international bidding rounds in a competitive atmosphere with concentration on meeting national interests. Earlier Moazzami has said that Iran’s oil industry plans to open a new chapter in cooperation with well known foreign oil companies having a record of constructive cooperation with Iran’s oil industry.