Managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) says Tehran and Paris will discuss investment in Iran's natural gas projects and gas exports to Europe during the World Gas Conference in the French capital city of Paris.

Hamid Reza Araqi, who is currently in Paris to take part in the fourth World Gas Conference, WGCPARIS2015, told reporters that during past years, the NIGC has been taking part in the international event on behalf of the Islamic Republic.

“In coordination with Iran's embassy in Paris, we will meet and confer with French investors, experts, and industrial executives, in addition to a group which has 100 French companies as members tomorrow (Wednesday),” he added.

Araqi noted that in following days, the Iranian delegation will also meet with academics and researchers, who work on topics related to gas industry.

He said the World Gas Conference is held every three years by International Gas Union (IGU), which is a nonprofit association, adding, “In general, the IGU is an international institution and this conference discusses relevant topics through 14 specialized committees.”

The official stated that many international companies have asked for meetings with the Iranian delegation and meetings will be held in cooperation with Iran's embassy in Paris.

Araqi said this year’s conference is held in Paris and the Iranian delegation has presented 25 articles some of which will be offered in writing and some as speeches.

In mid-May, Araqi had announced that Iran will discuss gas exports to Europe with a number of European companies next month.

He told Ministry of Petroleum’s SHANA news agency on May 13 that negotiations over Europe gas exports were conducted with some European companies taking part in the 20th International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition in Tehran and will continue with a number of other European countries next month.

During past years, the Islamic Republic has been making efforts to increase gas production and exports by attracting foreign and domestic investment to South Pars gas field.

The huge offshore field covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which are in Iran’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers are situated in Qatar’s territorial waters.

In late April, Ministry of Petroleum’s SHANA news agency reported that Iran's gas exports have increased by more than one million cubic meters (mcm) during the first 11 months of the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2015) compared to the corresponding period a year before.

The report added that Iran's average gas exports from 2011 to 2013 amounted to 25.4 mcm, 25.5 mcm, and 26 mcm, respectively, and the figure is expected to further increase during the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2015).

The country is currently exporting gas to Turkey and is set to start gas exports to its western neighbor, Iraq.

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