U.S. Unsuccessful in Stopping Iran Oil Sales
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri on Monday highlighted the futility of U.S. attempts to cut Iran’s oil exports down to zero and said Washington’s plots against the Islamic Republic have gotten nowhere.
Speaking at a meeting of a task force on "the Resistance Economy” in Tehran, Jahangiri praised Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh and his colleagues for furthering the ministry’s plans in the oil and gas industries despite U.S. sanctions.
"The measures taken in this area are fully in line with the policies of the Resistance Economy and should be seriously continued,” he said.
"Fortunately, the Americans have been unsuccessful in cutting Iran’s oil sales to zero, and we are using all of our power and existing capacities to sell oil,” the vice president stated.
The remarks came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the U.S. with Washington imposing new economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Since then, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to "zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.
Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.
Recent shipping data showed that despite U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry, oil product sales from the Islamic Republic remain strong at nearly $500 million a month.
Meanwhile, Zangeneh siad that the country made great progress in the production of different petrochemicals and will further expand its capacities in future.
"The second leap in the petrochemical sector is getting accomplished and the third leap has started," Zanganeh told reporters.
"In the second leap 100mln tons of petrochemicals worth $25bn were produced, which will increase to $37bln in the third leap," he added.
Zangeneh also underlined that production of gasoline in Iran has doubled, adding that 110mln liters of gasoline is produced in the country every day.
The oil minister had also on Saturday stressed ineffectiveness of the US sanctions on Iran's capability to export its crude, saying that pressures have backfired and accelerated development of his country's oil industry.
Speaking at a meeting of a task force on "the Resistance Economy” in Tehran, Jahangiri praised Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh and his colleagues for furthering the ministry’s plans in the oil and gas industries despite U.S. sanctions.
"The measures taken in this area are fully in line with the policies of the Resistance Economy and should be seriously continued,” he said.
"Fortunately, the Americans have been unsuccessful in cutting Iran’s oil sales to zero, and we are using all of our power and existing capacities to sell oil,” the vice president stated.
The remarks came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the U.S. with Washington imposing new economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Since then, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to "zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.
Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.
Recent shipping data showed that despite U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry, oil product sales from the Islamic Republic remain strong at nearly $500 million a month.
Meanwhile, Zangeneh siad that the country made great progress in the production of different petrochemicals and will further expand its capacities in future.
"The second leap in the petrochemical sector is getting accomplished and the third leap has started," Zanganeh told reporters.
"In the second leap 100mln tons of petrochemicals worth $25bn were produced, which will increase to $37bln in the third leap," he added.
Zangeneh also underlined that production of gasoline in Iran has doubled, adding that 110mln liters of gasoline is produced in the country every day.
The oil minister had also on Saturday stressed ineffectiveness of the US sanctions on Iran's capability to export its crude, saying that pressures have backfired and accelerated development of his country's oil industry.