India tells US replacing Iran oil ‘impossible’

India has told the US it should be allowed to import crude oil from Iran without being punished by Washington’s unilateral sanctions on Tehran, major Indian newspaper Hindustan Times reports.

US waivers for eight importers of Iranian oil end on Wednesday, with American authorities saying neither a wind-down period nor a short-term exemption are being considered for those seeking to continue purchases.

India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj accosted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the plan during a phone conversation, saying New Delhi “should be allowed to import Iranian crude for some more time without being impacted by US secondary sanctions”, the paper reported Tuesday.

“Swaraj explained India’s political and economic conditions to Pompeo and sought some relaxation as making immediate arrangements for 23.5 million tonnes of oil – the amount supplied by Iran every year – from an alternative source was not possible,” it said, citing people familiar with the developments.

“However, Pompeo did not make any commitment and told Swaraj the matter was no longer handled at his level as a decision had been made by the US administration to strictly enforce sanctions,” it added.

According to the paper, Swaraj was initially scheduled to speak to Pompeo a day before he announced on April 22 that the Trump administration would no longer grant exemptions from sanctions to any country importing Iranian oil.

The call could not go through only because of “scheduling issues” and the two finally spoke on Saturday, it said.

India is Iran’s second biggest oil buyer after China, getting about 10% of its supplies from the Islamic Republic.

According to the Hindustan Times, Indian officials had held extensive consultations with their US counterparts about an extension of the six-month waiver announced last November and were expecting a positive outcome.  

With a general election underway in India, Swaraj told Pompeo that “the next government with a fresh mandate will take a final call on this issue”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already come under opposition attacks over his failure to guarantee continued access to Iranian oil.

“The US ban on exporting crude oil from Iran to India, is it not an attack on India’s sovereignty?” Randeep Singh Surjewala‏, a Congress Party lawmaker and national spokesman, said on Twitter last week. “Why is Modiji, who falsely boasts of his bravery, now silent?”

Another national opposition party, the Communist Party of India, condemned the US decision for its negative impact on India and said Modi must continue buying Iranian oil.

“Any step to stop importing oil from Iran will harm India’s energy security and national interests,” the communist party said as it urged Swaraj to reject Trump’s “illegal” move.

SS