Japan, on the other hand, says Iran has been dragging its heels on promises to clear mines from the site of the Azadegan oil field.

Japan's Inpex Corp., a state-designated oil development company, signed a contract with the National Iranian Oil Co. in February 2004 to jointly develop the Azadegan field in the country's southwest, in a $2 billion project.

But a Sept. 30 deadline imposed by Iran for Inpex to exercise its development rights has passed, and talks in Tehran involving development company representatives on getting the project started remain at a stalemate.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 7, 2006
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