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Congress clarification on Iran nuclear deal could be positive – Total CEO

PARIS (Reuters) – A United States Congress decision on the Iran nuclear deal could clarify Washington’s stance on the international accord and lead to a positive outcome for Total and its planned $5 billion Iranian gas project, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Congress has two months to decide whether to reinstate sanctions on Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump last week refused to formally certify that Tehran was complying with the nuclear agreement hailed by his predecessor Barack Obama as key to stopping Iran from building nuclear weapons.

The deal was also signed by China, France, Russia, Britain, Germany and the European Union.

Total was the first Western oil major to sign a deal with Iran to develop phase 11 of Iran’s South Pars, the world’s largest gas field. A decision to reinstate sanctions on Iran could jeopardise the project.