TEHRAN Sept 07 (Shana) � Iran has assigned priority to the development of its rich gas resources specially the joint gas fields in the wake of removal of Western sanctions on its energy industry, an official in the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said.

�According to the estimates released by international firms such as BP, Iran has the largest gas resources of the world,� said the company�s Operations Deputy Abdolhossein Samari during a visit to Shahid Hasheminejad Refinery in the northeastern Khorasan Razavi province.

Saying that the development of gas fields were not interrupted ever since sanctions were imposed and that the progressive process will continue in the post-sanctions period, he said NIGC is responsible for their development and gives the priority to the joint fields.

Last week, Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh said massive investments of $30 billion will be made in South Pars gas field�s incremental phases in two years to catch up with Iran�s untapped quota of one billion cubic meters which is partly being used by the neighboring Qatar.

On cooperation with foreign partners over using their technology, Samari said, �In the post-sanctions period, domestic products will be prioritized.�

�Under sanctions, we learned the lesson of self-confidence in domestic production which we are not going to put aside. We are not going to lag behind world�s technology either.�

After European firms witnessed our might, they agreed to work with us for upgrading of technology, the NIGC official added.

Iran has invited foreign firms to joint ventures in the country�s energy industry, provided that they are carried out along with technology transfer.

�More than cash or using the technology, we would like to have their advanced technology to be transferred to domestic companies,� Zangeneh said.

By SHANA