A senior Iranian Oil Ministry official said Monday that it may be possible for Japan to resume participation in an oil field development project from which it withdrew nearly five years ago due to effects of strengthened U.S. sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear ambitions.
Japan's return to the project Azadegan project in southwestern Iran would signal the Middle Eastern country's desire to make use of Japanese companies' technical capabilities.
The Iranian government was dissatisfied with the contributions of a Chinese firm following Japan's withdrawal and is apparently hoping that the recent agreement between Iran and six major powers to curb its nuclear program may prompt Japan to come back to the project.