TOKYO: Japan’s biggest energy explorer, Inpex Corp, said on Thursday it may drop its second attempt to join in developing Iran’s South Azadegan oilfield after US President Donald Trump said he will re-impose sanctions on Tehran.
The company was forced to relinquish a 10 percent stake in Azadegan in 2010 because sanctions by the United States on Iran made it difficult to access financing for the project.
According to energy consultants Wood Mackenzie, the Azadegan fields are considered one of the world’s biggest oil discoveries of the past 30 years with an estimate of about 33.2 billion barrels of oil in place. Oil production at the fields was planned to reach 600,000 barrels per day.
The lifting of the sanctions in 2016 after an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program had opened the way for Inpex to again participate in developing the oilfield.
“We recognize that it has become difficult for us to engage in activities for the bidding” after Trump’s decision this week, an Inpex spokeswoman said by phone.
President Trump on Tuesday said he was pulling out of the multi-party nuclear agreement and will reinstitute US sanctions against Tehran that were suspended under the 2015 accord.
Inpex remains interested in participating in Iran’s oil and gas sector because of its “high potential” and would be interested in joining the project if the situation changes, the Inpex spokeswoman said.
In August 2017, Inpex joined a workshop held in Iran on the South Azadegan field to gather information for the bidding, the spokeswoman added, without giving further details on the status of the bidding process due to a confidentiality agreement.
The news service for Iran’s oil ministry reported on May 7 that the country planned to tender 14 exploration blocks and Iranian energy officials said that the country’s oil industry would continue to develop despite any new US sanctions.
Japan’s Inpex may drop bid for Iran’s Azadegan oil project
Japan’s Inpex may drop bid for Iran’s Azadegan oil project
Saudi Arabia leads outcome-based education to prepare future-ready generations: Harvard Business Review
- The Riyadh-based school group developed a strategy that links every classroom activity to measurable student competencies, aiming to graduate learners equipped for the digital economy and real-world contexts
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s education system is undergoing a sweeping transformation aligned with Vision 2030, shifting from traditional, input-focused methods to outcome-based education designed to equip students with future-ready skills, Harvard Business Review Arabic reported.
The transformation is being adopted and spearheaded by institutions such as Al-Nobala Private Schools, which introduced the Kingdom’s first national “learning outcomes framework,” aimed at preparing a generation of leaders and innovators for an AI-driven future, the report said.
Al-Nobala has leveraged international expertise to localize advanced learning methodologies.
The Riyadh-based school group developed a strategy that links every classroom activity to measurable student competencies, aiming to graduate learners equipped for the digital economy and real-world contexts. The school’s group approach combines traditional values with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, innovation and digital fluency.
According to the report, the shift addresses the growing gap between outdated models built for low-tech, resource-constrained environments and today’s dynamic world, where learners must navigate real-time information, virtual platforms, and smart technologies.
“This is not just about teaching content, it’s about creating impact,” the report noted, citing how Al-Nobala’s model prepares students to thrive in an AI-driven world while aligning with national priorities.
The report noted that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education has paved the way for this shift by transitioning from a centralized controller to a strategic enabler, allowing schools such as Al-Nobala to tailor their curriculum to meet evolving market and societal needs. This is part of the long-term goal to place the Kingdom among the top 20 global education systems.
Al-Nobala’s work, the report stated, has succeeded in serving the broader national effort to link education outcomes directly to labor market demands, helping to fulfill the Vision 2030 pillar of building a vibrant society with a thriving economy driven by knowledge and innovation.
Last February, Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Saudi Arabia’s minister of education, said that the Kingdom was making “an unprecedented investment in education,” with spending aligned to the needs of growth and development. He said that in 2025, education received the second-largest share of the state budget, totaling $53.5 billion.
