Iran’s oil production and exports surge despite unilateral Western sanctions

Pars Today — Iran’s oil production has accelerated through a new coalition with China, Russia, and Belarus, reaching an annual increase of 4.3 million barrels.

The OilPrice website, noting Iran’s 4.3-million-barrel increase in oil production over the past year, described this growth as the result of Tehran’s new alliances with international partners.

According to Pars Today, the outlet reported—citing the recent meeting between Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and the Belarusian energy minister—that Iran is pursuing plans to further increase production this year. An Iranian official stressed that Russia is assisting with equipment and technology, while China remains the main buyer of Iranian oil under long-term agreements.

After the Western sanctions, Iran has actively sought new partners to strengthen its oil and gas industry. China and Russia are considered its main allies; Beijing continues to purchase a large share of Iran’s oil despite the sanctions, and Russia cooperates in providing equipment and technology.

Bloomberg has also reported that Chinese independent refineries increased their purchases of Iranian crude after new import quotas were issued. In addition, data from the company Kpler shows that China’s crude oil imports from Iran reached 1.35 million barrels per day in November — the highest level since August.

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said last Monday during a meeting with the Belarusian energy minister that Iran welcomes international partnerships in its oil and gas industry and offers “golden investment opportunities” in this sector.

This meeting followed the two presidents’ summit, during which multiple agreements were signed across various industries. The official meeting between the presidents of Iran and Belarus was held on 20 August 2025 in Minsk.

During the visit, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and the two sides discussed expanding bilateral relations and strengthening joint cooperation.