Wed 28 August 2019:
BIARRITZ (FRANCE): French President Emmanuel Macron has urged US counterpart Donald Trump to lift the embargo on Iranian oil sales to India a step that could boost Delhi’s energy supplies if Washington adheres to the request.
This comes amid efforts by France to emerge as a mediator between Washington and Tehran to defuse one of the worst global crises in recent times.
Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif held a three- and a half-hour dialogue with his French counterpart here on Sunday, ET has learnt, signaling Tehran’s possible re-entry into the mainstream.
Zarif also met Macron before flying out, ET has further learnt. The Iranian foreign Minister had met Macron in Paris on Friday as well, in the backdrop of regular contacts between his President and the French leader.
The Iran crisis figured during the Macron-Trump lunch meeting on Saturday and the French President urged the US leader to end its embargo on sale of Iranian oil to India and China, two of the biggest buyers of Tehran’s energy resources, ET has learnt.
This will be music to India’s ears, as it had stopped purchasing Iranian oil from May after Washington refused to extend a six-month waiver and threatened secondary sanctions. Last November, the US had granted a waiver to India, China, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea to continue importing oil from Iran until the first week of May.
Iran supplied 10% of India’s oil needs and the country has a number of Iran crude-specific refineries.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
