A total of 40 American, European and Asia-based companies have expressed their willingness to invest in Iran’s gas sector, a report said.

Companies from South Korea, Japan, Russia, Italy, England, France, and Canada are in talks with the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), reported Tehran Times, quoting Asghar Soheilipour, chairman of NIGC investment committee.

A French company has already started setting up a gas project in the country, he said, adding that the project be operational in about two months.

Meanwhile, Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayyebnia said that potential trading partners can make reliable investments in Iran despite sanctions pressure, according to the report.

“Iran is among the safest countries for (foreign) investment,” he was quoted as saying.