US tells India: Reduce oil imports from Iran to zero
New Delhi (Hindustan Times), Sep 07, 2018 -
The United States has agreed to engage India and explore a mutually agreeable solution on the issue of purchase of Iranian oil despite its deadline for countries to halt imports, an official familiar with discussions at the 2+2 Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi said.
India is also hopeful that it will be excluded from US sanctions over the purchase of S-400 antiaircraft missile defence systems from Russia, though
We have told the Indians consistently... that on November 4th the sanctions with respect to Iranian crude oil will be enforced, and that we will consider waivers where appropriate
this specific buy was not discussed when external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, another official said on the condition of anonymity.
Pompeo said on Thursday the US would work with India on the two issues.
“We have told the Indians consistently... that on November 4th the sanctions with respect to Iranian crude oil will be enforced, and that we will consider waivers where appropriate, but that it is our expectation that the purchases of Iranian crude oil will go to zero from every country, or sanctions will be imposed. So we’ll work with the Indians. We committed that we would do that,” Pompeo said.