Oil refinery
Oil refineryIsrael News Photo

Five American companies and dozens of European firms participated this week in Iran’s International Exhibition of Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals, ignoring American government pressure to avoid ties with Tehran as a means of pressuring it to stop any plans to become a nuclear power. Iran is continuing to develop nuclear reactors and claims it is close to being able to produce enriched uranium, a key element for a nuclear weapon.

Mark Wallace, president of United against Nuclear Iran, charged the participating companies “are undermining international efforts to deter Iran's nuclear program solely for short-term economic gain." The American companies were not named.

More than 450 foreign companies from 34 countries attended the exhibition, 25 percent more than in last year’s event. Iran’s Mehr news agency asserted that the increased representation of foreign companies proves that economic sanctions against Iran are ineffective.

The U.S., England, France and Germany, all of which are leading efforts to stop Iran from being able to manufacture a nuclear weapon, were represented at the exhibition. Also present were companies from China and Russia, both of which have heavily invested in the nuclear programs.

The two countries are working with the Western world to place effective sanctions against Iran but have succeeded in moderating proposals for tougher restrictions on the Tehran government, which has not allowed United Nations to inspect all of its nuclear plants.

The exhibition ended on Saturday, and one Iranian company already has announced it has signed a multi-million dollar deal with a French company. The Mehr news agency quoted Iranian national oil company executive Mahmoud Zirkjian Alizada as saying contracts worth $12 billion were signed in the past three years with domestic and foreign companies.

Last year’s participants included dozens of international companies with offices or facilities in the U.S.