[ad_1]
Reuters DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran's oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh, said on Sunday that he hoped the country's crude oil exports would improve, the national television reported, despite tougher sanctions imposed on Tehran.
His comments came as Iran faces new US sanctions after announcing Sunday that it will soon strengthen its uranium enrichment beyond the ceiling set by a 2015 nuclear deal.
"I am hopeful that our oil exports will increase," Zanganeh said on national television, adding that the price of oil was not Iran's main concern.
"What counts now for Iran is the amount of oil we can export," Zanganeh said.
Last month, industry sources told Reuters Iran's crude oil exports dropped to 300,000 barrels a day (or less per day) or less after Washington's sanctions on oil exports tightened of the country in May. In April 2018, exports increased to more than 2.5 million bpd.
Zanganeh accused the United States, long-time enemies of Iran, of destabilizing the oil market, saying Washington "used oil as a weapon" to put pressure on the oil market. ;Iran.
"Destabilizing the market is in the interest of the United States (…) cooperation between OPEC members and oil producing states (the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) will stabilize the market," he said. he declares.
As part of the nuclear deal between Iran and six powers, most of the international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. However, Trump pulled out of the deal last year and reimposed the sanctions.
Washington has tightened the sanctions from the beginning of May, ordering all countries and companies to stop importing Iranian oil or to be banned from the global financial system. He has also dispatched additional troops to the region to counter what he calls Iranian threats.
Iran's main demand – in negotiations with the European parties and as a precondition for any negotiations with the United States – must be allowed to sell its oil at a level comparable to that before the withdrawal of Washington .
After the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies operating in Iran, the French companies Total and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) suspended the investment in phase 11 of the country's giant gas field, South Pars, last year.
Zanganeh said discussions were continuing with Chinese society.
"They have so far failed to develop Phase 11 … China is a friend of Iran and Iran would not choose to break ties to drag their feet into We are looking for alternative solutions, "said Zanganeh.
China is a signatory to the nuclear deal and condemned Washington's decision to abandon the deal.
Meanwhile, Zanganeh said Iran has targeted 300,000 barrels a day of oil production in its oil fields in Karoun, in the south-west of the country. Speech
Source link
