TEHRAN Iran is the best route for export of Caspian Sea oil, said the Japanese daily *** Asahi Shimbon *** in a report on Thursday. According to *** Asahi ***, the Iranian route can easily link the Caspian Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf in the south. "Japanese companies are getting closer to Iran in line with the development plan of the Azadegan oil field. At the same time, French oil giant Totalfinaelf, which is currently one of the main investors in the Azadegan project, seems to be interested in the Iranian pipeline route because of its investment in the Kazakh region of Kashigan," said the Japanese daily quoting an official of the Kazakh National Oil Company. The paper added that Kazakhstan started to transfer oil to the Persian Gulf through the Iranian route four years ago, but was apparently halted by U.S. and Russian pressures. *** Asahi *** said that the only country which can not trade in Iran is the United States, and the U.S. oil companies are the main victims of the U.S. economic sanctions against Iran. Quoting an economic advisor, ** Asahi *** said that the extension of the 5-year economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic was mainly instigated by the pressure of the Zionist groups.