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Analysts say Total's move will be a big blow to the Iranian energy industry.

Total was the last major Western energy group to have seriously considered investing in the country's huge gas reserves. It was also one of the few companies in the world to have the technology needed to exploit Iran's huge, but untapped gas reserves.

Jon Leyne in Tehran says it has been particularly galling for Tehran to watch as Qatar pumps vast amounts of gas from the South Pars field to its side of the Gulf, helping it become one of the world's major energy suppliers.