SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iranian oil minister Javad Owji said Tehran is determined to increase its oil exports despite U.S. sanctions on the country’s crude sales.
Owji told state television on Wednesday that the use of oil sanctions as a “political tool” would harm the market, according to Reuters.
“There is strong will in Iran to increase oil exports despite the unjust and illegal U.S. sanctions,” Owji said, without elaborating on how Iran planned to overcome sanctions.
“I promise that good things will happen regarding Iran’s oil sales in the coming months,” he added.
Oil exports, Iran’s main revenue source, have plunged under U.S. sanctions, which were reimposed three years ago after Washington abandoned Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers.
“Iran will return to its pre-sanctions crude production level as soon as U.S. sanctions on Iran are lifted,” Reuters quoted Owji as saying.
“We are against using oil as a political tool that would harm the oil market.”
Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact. The sixth round of the negotiations adjourned on June 20. The next round of talks has yet to be scheduled.
