French investment company to visit Iran

French investment company will be coming to Iran's capital in the near future, deputy minister of Industries, Mines and Trade, Mehdi Karbasian said, Fars news agency reported on Jan. 4.

Karbasian said the French delegation will discuss investments in various mineral projects in Iran.

"We are currently coordinating possible participation of various investment companies from different countries in Iran's mining and metals projects," Karbasian said.

Many foreign companies left Iran after international sanctions were imposed on the country for its disputed nuclear program. Iran has been trying to attract more investors into its economic sectors recently.

For instance, Tehran chamber of commerce chairman, Yahya Al-e Es'haq said at a joint business forum of Iran-Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs which was held on Dec. 17 in Baku, that some $500 billion was to be invested in Iran's oil and gas projects in the next five years.

Russia's ambassador to Iran, Levan Jagarian recently said that with favorable conditions in Iran, Russian companies might consider investing in the Islamic Republic's oil and gas sector.

The companies previously working in Iran, expressed interest in returning to Iranian market, if the sanctions are lifted.

One of such companies is Lukoil, which considers participation in new oil and gas projects in Iran.

Senior Vice-President of Lukoil Overseas, Gati Saadi Al-Jebouri said at a conference on Energy Intelligence in Moscow in October 2013 that the company might consider returning to Iran if "there are changes, if the restrictions and sanctions are lifted".