Iran's President Launches New South Pars Gas Projects

Iranian President Hassan Rohani on March 17 launched four new projects in the development of a massive natural-gas field beneath the Persian Gulf that Iran shares with Qatar.

Iran has invested $11 billion to complete the projects in the South Pars natural-gas field.

The four projects are aimed at increasing the countrys natural-gas production capacity by up to 110 million cubic meters per day, Irans Oil Ministry said on March 17 in a Twitter statement.

Frances Total and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) suspended investment in one South Pars project in 2018 after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in Iran.

But Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganesh said on March 16 that Tehran is continuing talks with the Chinese firms.

Speaking on March 17 from Bushehr Province in southern Iran, Rohani described the U.S. sanctions as a crime against humanity.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

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