Spokesman: Iran in talks with different countries to bypass US sanctions

Iranian Government Spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht announced that the country's officials are holding talks with their counterparts from different states to find ways to bypass the US sanctions after its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

"In addition to the EU, we are improving relations with other countries, especially the neighbors," Nobakht told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday, referring to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's current visit to India and his own recent trip to Thailand.

Asked about efforts to sell Iran's crude after re-imposition of the US sanctions, he said, "A major part of the oil is sold to India and China. We are also in talks with Europe to continue oil sales to them, and Iran's increased oil sales to them has even been under discussion with them to compensate any drop if some states decrease oil imports (from Iran)."

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj underlined that her country will continue to trade with Iran despite the re-imposition of the US sanctions against Tehran.

"India follows only UN sanctions and not unilateral sanctions by any country," Swaraj told reporters when asked about New Delhi's response to the US decision to withdraw from a 2015 key nuclear agreement and re-impose sanctions against Tehran.

Swaraj reiterated that her country's position was "independent" of any other country and would not make foreign policy "under pressure".

EA