Total says still interested in Iran's South Pars

PARIS, May 12 (Reuters) - French major oil company Total (TOTF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Monday it was still interested in Iran's South Pars gas field, despite a decision by Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to pull out of developing another phase of the project.

"It's a project which still interests us," said a Total spokeswoman in Paris.

"We have not decided to drop our interest in the project," she added.

Total has a memorandum of understanding with state-owned National Iranian Oil Company to develop Phase 11 of the giant South Pars field.

Iran has said it wants the French company to commit to the deal by the middle of this year, while the French government, which is concerned about Iran's nuclear programme, has urged Total not to invest.

The U.S. and European nations fear Iran's nuclear progamme is aimed at developing weapons, a claim Tehran denies. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Quentin Bryar)