TEHRAN- Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that U.S. President Donald Trump should allow American oil companies to do business in Iran, IRNA reported.

Zanganeh's comments on Tuesday come as Americans and U.S. companies are still barred from directly doing business with Iran. That's even with the 2015 nuclear deal being in place.

"If they want to, we are ready to negotiate American companies about development of oil and gas resources”, the minister said.

He added: "We have not closed doors to American companies.”

Trump last week refused to re-certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal with world powers, and criticized Europeans for their participation in Iran's energy projects. French oil giant Total SA has entered the Iranian market following the deal.

Iran signed a $4.8-billion deal with Total in July for developing phase 11 of Iran’s supergiant South Pars gas field (shared with Qatar in the Persian Gulf).

After signing the deal, Total Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne said, for Total, the risks are worth the potential rewards of signing a 20-year agreement.

“I will come back to Iran again because this contract is the first of many,” he added. 

MA