Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi earlier ordered work on Phases 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 to be speeded up. Contractors were told they must use three shifts of workmen and keep work going 24 hours a day with the goal of wrapping up the development of all five phases by Now Ruz.
But now the Mehr news agency reports that Qasemi has postponed completion until sometime after Now Ruz for the latter four phases. No new dates for completion were given. And it wasn’t clear whether Phase 12 was still to be done by Now Ruz.
Qasemi did not say why the work could not be completed by the Now Ruz deadline. It wasn’t known if sanctions had prevented the availability of needed equipment and technology. Others thought Iran did not have sufficient number of skilled workmen to complete the work on that expedited schedule.