Working with India to minimise impact of Iran oil import reduction: US

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

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

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

Two weeks ago, Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif had visited Delhi and met then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss many issues including import of oil. Swaraj told him a decision on purchasing Iranian oil would be taken after election results, keeping in mind "our energy security and economic interests."

Even though there hasn't been any statement from the Ministry of External Affairs about cutting oil imports from Iran, Indian envoy to US Harsh Vardhan Shringla was quoted as saying that New Delhi has reduced oil imports from the West Asian country.

"India had already sharply decreased its imports from Iran... in April, before [US pressure]. After that we haven't imported any," he was quoted by news agency PTI.