Oil minister: Iran to use every possible way to export its oil

Iran will use every possible way to export its oil, Iranian Oil Ministry's website SHANA quoted Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying on Sunday, adding that exporting crude was the country's legitimate right.

"We will use every possible way to export our oil and we will not succumb to America's pressure because exporting oil is Iran's legitimate right," Zanganeh said.

Iran's crude oil exports were cut by more than 80% when the United States re-imposed sanctions after President Donald Trump exited Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers last year.

Since then, Washington has reimposed sanctions on Tehran's oil exports. In response, Iran has gradually scaled back its commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal, under which Tehran accepted to curb its nuclear activities in return for lifting most international sanctions.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) reiterated on Sunday that the country would reduce its commitments under the deal further if the European parties to the pact did not meet promises to shield Iran's economy from U.S. sanctions.

"We will go ahead with our plans to decrease our commitments to the nuclear deal if other parties fail to keep their promises," the Students News Agency ISNA quoted AEOI's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.
IRAN WANTS BETTER TIES WITH REGIONAL COUNTRIES
Iran wants to improve ties with all the countries in the Middle East, also said Zanganeh, and adding that China's national petroleum company had pulled out of developing phase 11 of the country's giant South Pars gas field.

"We want to be friends with all regional countries. Out mutual enemy is outside the Middle East... I have no problem to meet with Saudi Arabia's oil minister. China has pulled out of developing the phase 11 of the South Pars field and Petropars will carry out the job," Zanganeh said in a statement.