In a strong attack on the presence of “ineffective and unsuccessful Chinese companies... in recent years”, Deputy Oil Minister Emad Hosseini said that the ministry “has not yet made any decision, but it has warned the Chinese contractor of expropriation”.

In the strongest criticism so far of CNPC, the deputy minister said there would be “no hesitation” in ousting CNPC from the project contracted out nearly seven years ago.

CNPC