South Pars Gas field in Asalouyeh Seaport, north of Persian Gulf, Iran. November, 2015. Credit:… Iran plans to sign a preliminary $6 billion deal with Total SA on Tuesday to help develop an offshore gas field, potentially the first Western energy investment there since international sanctions were lifted this year, an oil-ministry official in Tehran said. The agreement with the French oil giant could be a harbinger for the return of more Western companies to Iran’s vast petroleum industry and represents a step forward for the Islamic Republic’s goals of ramping up production of oil and gas over the next several years. European oil companies have been slow to return to Iran since the Persian Gulf country secured an end to sanctions on its energy industry by agreeing to curbs on its national nuclear program in January. American sanctions related to terrorism and weapons remain in effect on Iran. […]