"We have been in talks with Total … the deal will be finalised by the end of (the current Iranian) year," said Jashnsaz. The Iranian year ends on March 20.
Yves-Louis Darricarrere, head of Total's exploration and production, said on Feb. 12 that the company was in negotiations with Iran on a major gas deal, but talks were moving very slowly.
Darricarrere also said the talks were not mature and that a decision to invest was still far off.
Total has a memorandum of understanding with state-owned National Iranian Oil Company to develop Phase II of the huge South Pars field but the project has been overshadowed by haggling over contract terms.