Next govt to decide on crude imports from Iran: Sushma

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, May 14

India today told Iran that any decision on purchasing oil from it will have to await the next government. India has turned off imports of Iranian oil from early May despite being its second biggest importer following a US diktat aimed at squeezing the Iranian economy.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s message to visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif came on a day when India for the second time decided to postpone retaliatory tariffs on US imports. India also sought to dispel the notion that it had sought the meeting by stating that the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister “took place at his own initiative”.

Swaraj told Zarif that any decision on purchase of oil from Iran will be taken keeping in mind India’s commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests.  A report by an Iranian news agency quoted Zarif as saying that Iran and India had “designed a special financial system to augment trade and economic cooperation”.

Besides oil trade and JCPOA (the pact between Iran and six nations) which have been the staple of Zarif’s recent conversations with Russia, China, Iraq and Turkmenistan, talks in New Delhi also touched on the operationalisation of the interim contract on Chabahar Port. 

Zarif also acquainted Swaraj with Iran’s plan to partially withdraw from the JCPOA after European signatories to the pact have developed cold feet in standing up to the US. Swaraj remained noncommittal by asking all signatories to the JCPOA to continue to fulfil their commitments. 

Saudi shuts pipeline after drone attacks 

• Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia’s main oil pipelines on Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tension after the mysterious sabotage of tankers. 

• Days after the US deployed bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region, the world’s largest crude exporter said two pumping stations had been targeted. They are able to pump 5m barrels of oil a day from the eastern province to a Red Sea export terminal. AFP