Working to minimise any negative impact: US on India cutting oil imports from Iran

The US has said that it is closely working with India to minimise any impact of New Delhi reducing oil imports from Iran as Washington has refused to give waivers to any country from its sanctions on the West Asian country.

US State Department spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, while replying to a question in a briefing said, "So we work – we coordinated closely, of course, with them to minimize any negative impact."

She explained Washington's "goal... is for everyone" to "cease importing Iranian oil entirely" and  "we appreciate everyone who has worked with us steadfastly to get to zero."

Two weeks ago, Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif had visited New Delhi and met the then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj regarding many issues including import of oil.

On purchase of oil from Iran, Sushma Swaraj told him a decision on import of oil will be taken after the elections result keeping in mind "our commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests."

Even though there hasn't been any statement from Ministry of external affairs or petroleum ministry if India has cut oil imports from Iran, Indian envoy to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla was quoted as saying that New Delhi has reduced oil import from the west Asian country.

"India had already sharply decreased its imports from Iran and bought one million tonnes (tons) of crude in April, the last month before Washington stepped up its pressure campaign against Tehran and ended all exemptions to sanctions. That's it. After that we haven't imported any," Shringla informed news agency PTI.

The India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2016-17 was $ 12.89 billion of which New Delhi imported $ 10.5 billion worth of goods mainly crude oil.