The National Iranian Oil Company is holding negotiations with an unnamed Chinese consortium regarding the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in the country.

If a deal goes ahead, the plant will be constructed at Assalouyeh in the province of Bushehr, according to a report by the Mehr News Agency.

Two other LNG units are currently being constructed at the same site and the total capacity for the complex will be 21 million tonnes a year (t/y) when completed.

Ran has previously stated that it aims to export 70 million t/y of LNG by 2015.