According to the official Iraqi newspaper al Sabah, the Russian Lukoil company is withdrawing its decision to sell its shares in the West qurna-2 oilfield in southern Iraq to Chinese companies. The newspaper quoted the oil minister as saying that the Iraqi oil ministry has been negotiating with the company in the past six months to persuade it to revoke its decision, and finally prompted Lukoil to decide not to sell its shares to other companies. 

Iraqi Oil Minister Abdullah Jabbar said that Lukoil had previously sent a formal notice to the ministry that it would sell its shares in the West qurna-2 oilfield to Chinese companies. Lukoil made this decision because "Iraq's current investment environment is not suitable for investment. They will look for other markets or partners in the field of renewable energy".