TEHRAN- The tender for developing Iran’s Azadegan oilfield, shared with Iraq in the western part of Iran’s southwestern region of Karoun, will not take place in 2017, according to an Iranian oil official.

National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Managing Director Ali Kardor told ISNA on Tuesday that the companies are still assessing the technical surveys. The tender will not take place in 2017. 

Iran said in June that international energy companies including France’s Total, Malaysia’s Petronas and Japan’s Inpex have presented technical surveys for the development of the Azadegan field for the tender. 

The tender for developing the Azadegan oilfield, Iran’s first such tender since the lifting of international sanctions more than a year ago, has been postponed several times for unspecified reasons. 

Kardor said the tender has not been affected by U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies against Iran and added that the Chinese, Russian and European companies were still committed to investing in Iran. 

MA/MG