Tasnim� The CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said a contract on the development of Azadegan Oilfield, located 80 km west of southwestern city of Ahvaz near the Iraqi border, will be signed with a foreign energy company in coming months.

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Ali Kardor said Azadegan is the country�s biggest joint oilfield, whose north and south parts are slated to be developed seamlessly within a new format of oil contracts, known as Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC).

�We are making the arrangements for a tender through sending and receiving documents to and from applicant companies,� he said.

The official went on to say that so far, France�s Total and Japan�s Inpex have presented their final technical surveys for the development of the Azadegan oilfield for the tender.

He also said that since the process of sending and receiving documents and arrangements for the tender would take three or four months, the signing of the contract to develop the oilfield would not take place during the current administration.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected in May�s election, will form a new government in August.