Naji Sadouni told in that mine sweeping operations have thus far been carried out through thee methods (surface, 60 cm and 6 m) and operations have progressed 90 percent. The official stated that Inpex has called for drilling wells and mine sweeping to a depth of 16 meters, adding, “Such requests have not been stipulated in International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). Meanwhile, operations carried out thus far have only revealed two mines at a depth of 3 meters and no mine or other kind of ammunition has been found at a depth of 6 m.” Sadouni said Petroleum Engineering and Development Company has told the Japanese company that it will not carry out mine sweeping operations at a depth of 16 m because no other international company has thus far raised such a claim. He said if postponing development of Azadegan oil field is not due to political matters, it is sure to be due to financial issues. “If Inpex starts development operations right now, they will have enough land free of mines for two years of operations,” he said. Sadouni noted that Inpex has only carried out geological operations thus far. The contract for developing Azadegan oil field was concluded in February 2004 and was notified to Inpex Company in March 2004. The contract will be two-years old in less than two months, but delay on developing the field is going on.