Gas Fields

South Pars is Iran’s largest non-associated gas field: its gas production is not dependent on extracting oil from an oil field. EIA’s October 2024 assessment identifies successive South Pars developments as an important source of Iran’s gas-production growth. It also describes pressure decline and investment constraints as challenges to maintaining future output. s1

A development phase is a project within the larger field. In July 2017, Total announced an agreement with the National Iranian Oil Company for South Pars Phase 11. The announcement envisaged gas supplying Iran’s domestic market and a later development stage involving offshore compression. These were project plans, not evidence that the facilities subsequently operated as described. s2

In May 2018, following the United States’ announced withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, Total said it would have to unwind its involvement unless it received a project-specific sanctions waiver. Its statement directly documents the company’s position and the conditions it placed on continued participation. It does not establish the eventual performance of the replacement development arrangements. s3

EIA subsequently reported that Phase 11 partially entered production in August 2023. The sequence illustrates why the original agreement, a participant’s withdrawal position, and a later production milestone must be read as distinct events. s1

Reporting about South Pars can refer to the offshore resource or to facilities treating its gas on land. S&P Global reported on June 15, 2025, that fires at the onshore South Pars Phase 14 and Fajr Jam gas-treatment plants had been contained following attacks. Its report explicitly said there was no update on whether the plants had returned to service. A contained fire therefore cannot be treated as proof of restored gas supply. s4

The Associated Press reported further attacks affecting the South Pars gas and associated petrochemical complex in April 2026. Its account connected the complex with domestic energy use and chemical production. That reporting establishes additional disruption concerns, but does not provide an audited assessment of field-wide production or subsequent recovery through October. s5