Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has said the country’s oil exports to China will continue even if United Nations sanctions are reimposed under the snapback mechanism.
Speaking on Wednesday, Paknejad insisted that Tehran has already adapted to years of restrictions and would not face additional pressure if the measures are reactivated.
Foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany (the E3), together with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, met with their Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to negotiate a way forward.
On August 28, the E3 triggered a 30-day countdown to restore UN sanctions, citing Tehran’s non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, which was designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Unless a breakthrough is reached, sanctions will automatically snap back on September 27.
European officials are pressing Iran to allow UN nuclear inspectors renewed access to sensitive sites, address concerns over its enriched uranium stockpile, and return to talks with the United States.
When asked about the impact on crude exports, Paknejad said: “They will continue, we have no problem.” He added that Iran has already endured years of “unjust and unilateral U.S. sanctions,” meaning fresh UN restrictions would have little practical effect.
China remains Iran’s biggest oil customer, accounting for nearly 80% of its crude exports in 2024, according to data from energy analytics firm Kpler.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Comments are closed.