On Friday, 4th November 2022, the Iranian ambassador to India Dr. Iraj Elahi said that Iran is ready to supply oil to India. He said that Iran is willing to take the step despite US sanctions as both countries have close ties. Dr. Iraj Elahi made this remark during an interview with the news agency ANI. His statement has come at a time when India has already raised its oil imports from Russia after the Russia-Ukraine war despite hostile reactions from the west, especially the European Union.
Dr. Iraj Elahi said, “We always express our readiness to increase our economic ties with India. We are ready to deliver oil.” It is notable that recently, the US issued regulations against a global network of businesses, including a petrochemical company with operations in India, that deal in Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals. The Iranian representative strongly negated this claiming that the US oil restrictions are unlawful.
Delhi | We always express our readiness to increase our economic ties with India. It’s up to India, we are ready to deliver oil. Independence of Iran is the best guarantee for India: Dr Iraj Elahi, Ambassador of Iran to India on oil supply to India pic.twitter.com/PXpUcRUsYR
— ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2022
He said, “Sanctions are an obstacle. India and Iran should find a way to solve this problem according to their national interests and not according to illegal US sanctions. We want to sell oil to India and buy what we need from India.” Iran was a major energy provider to India until May 2019, when the country ceased doing so after the US threatened to impose more sanctions.
Under the banner of “The World United Against Terrorism,” the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi organized a condolence prayer session to commemorate the victims of the ISIS terrorist assault in Shah Cheragh, Iran. The condolence prayer was attended by DP Srivastava, a former Indian ambassador to Iran, Trilochan Singh, a former chairman of the National Commissioner for Minorities (NCM), as well as a number of Muslim clerics and scholars. Asserting Iran’s stand on terrorism, Dr. Iraj Elahi said, “Iranian govt has close relations and close cooperation with India against terrorist groups and we hope we enforce that cooperation.”
US sanctions on Iran
The US keeps repeating that Iran’s nuclear program is advancing in defiance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, that is, the Iran nuclear deal). The US administration has stated that it will continue to swiftly execute its sanctions against Iran’s shipments of oil and petrochemical products.
The US treasury department said in its statement, “These enforcement actions will continue on a regular basis, with an aim to severely restrict Iran’s oil and petrochemical exports. Anyone involved in facilitating these illegal sales and transactions should cease and desist immediately if they wish to avoid U.S. sanctions.”
