First VP: Iran Selling Enough Oil despite US Sanctions

“The US is trying to stop Iran’s most important source of revenue, that is oil sales, and they imagined that they could zero Iran’s crude supplies, but they have failed with God’s help,” Jahangiri said, addressing a meeting with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) in Tehran on Saturday evening.

“Fortunately, we have so far been able to sell oil to the extent that we need and earn its financial income,” he added.

Jahangiri, meantime, stressed that Iran’s non-oil exports are so large that its revenues would suffice to administer the country’s financial needs.

In relevant remarks in early December, President Hassan Rouhani stressed Washington’s failure to prevent his country’s oil exports, expressing pleasure that crude sales had even increased after the US sanctions.

“Part of my meeting today with the oil minister pertained to a discussion of the conditions of oil sales. Thanks God, we are in suitable and good conditions. The Americans wanted to prevent our oil exports and I clearly tell people that our oil exports have improved after November 4 (the day US imposed oil sanctions against Iran) compared to the past,” President Rouhani said after a joint meeting with the parliament speaker and the judiciary chief in Tehran.

He stressed Americans’ failure to block Iran’s oil supplies, and said they also made attempts to dissuade OPEC members from decreasing production but they failed.

“Our oil sales will stay the same course that it was before this (OPEC) meeting,” Rouhani said.