natural gas industry. Iran's constitution prohibits direct concession of petroleum rights to foreign investors. Alcatel of France, MTN Group of South Africa and Siemens of Germany gained major telecommunications contracts in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Front men In 2015, The Economist and The Wall Street Journal reported that American companies (incl. Apple Inc. and Hewlett-Packard) are using local (Iranian) front men to seal deals in Iran. In the oil and banking business some "prime contracts" have already been signed while Iran is still under "international sanctions". Boeing, Microsoft, Siemens, BP, Chevron, Gazprom, Eni, Samsung, Renault. Peugeot, GM are also returning to Iran. Economic profile Business environment According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Iran ranked sixth globally in 2010 in attracting foreign investments. According to the head of the Organisation for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETAI), in 2008 Iran ranked 142 among 181 countries in terms of working conditions last year. Iran stands 96 in terms of business start, 165 in getting permits, 147 in employment, 147 in registering assets, 84 in getting credits, 164 in legal support for investments, 104 in tax payment, 142 in overseas trade, 56 in feasibility of contracts and 107 in bankruptcy. Iran is a member of the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Iran ranks 69th out of 139 in Global Competitiveness Report. Iran has more than 50 signed-bilateral investment treaties with other countries. Natural resources Iran is OPEC's second largest oil producer. It has approximately 9% of world oil reserves (some 94 billion barrels). It has the second largest reserves of natural gas in the world at some 812 trillion cubic feet. Iran is considered an energy superpower. Iran also possesses enormous mineral resources, including coal, copper, iron, zinc and gold. This has spawned a number of processing industries, particularly steel. Iran is already the third largest producer of copper in the world. Competitive advantages Iran has made the development of non-oil exports a priority. The country has the advantage of a broad domestic industrial base, technology an educated and motivated workforce, cheap labor and energy resources and geographical location, which gives it access to an estimated population of some 300 million people in Caspian markets, Persian Gulf states and countries further east. Iran has the consumer potential of Turkey, the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia, the natural gas reserves of Russia, and the mineral reserves of Australia.