The head of France’s biggest listed company, oil group Total SA , is being questioned by police in a probe into alleged corruption in Iran, reports Reuters.
Christophe de Margerie, who only moved up to the chief executive’s post at Total last month, has been under investigation for several months by French judges probing corruption allegations linked to the Iraqi oil-for-food program and a gas project in Iran.
The Total spokesman said the questioning related to a probe opened in December 2006 related to the South Pars natural gas project in Iran. Last October, he was put under formal investigation into the Iraq probe after being held in custody for 48 hours and then released.
De Margerie maintains his innocence: “I would like to underline it’s just an inquiry and there has been no outcome. I am calmly waiting for that.”