The Mongolian prime minister who struck a deal with Rio chief Jean-Sebastien Jacques to restart the $US5.3 billion Oyu Tolgoi mine is disappointed the miner did not publicly stand up for him and the rule of law when he was later thrown in jail by political rivals.

Chimediin Saikhanbileg was Mongolian prime minister between 2014 and 2016, but was briefly jailed in 2018 by political rivals who believed the deal he struck with Mr Jacques in a Dubai hotel was an abuse of political process.