"We want our companies to go [to Iran] and invest big time…before the Americans and the Chinese," one EU official was quoted as telling the Wall Street Journal as reported late Sunday regarding Canete's energy meeting.
The official estimated that up to 35 billion cubic meters of liquefied gas could reach European shores via Spain under a first "behind-the-scenes" tentative plan.
A European energy representative told the publication that the September 4 meeting was aimed at "trying to make sure that European companies aren’t feeling constrained to go along."
The publication said the meeting between EU energy commissioner and delegates from energy companies led to contacts with officials in Tehran.
A European Commission spokeswoman was quoted by the newspaper saying that a high-level energy dialogue with Iran would start "when the conditions are right."
According to BP's Statistical Review of World Energy, Europe's gas pipeline imports in 2014 from Russia totaled 147.7 billion cubic meters.
Following Iran’s landmark nuclear deal with six world powers in July, the secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum said Iran does not aim to "substitute" Russia for its exports to Europe.
