Reuters: Iran wants to export 700,000 barrels of oil per day
Iran has said it is prepared to remain committed to the deal in exchange for “minimum oil exports.” “We are willing to sell at least 700,000 barrels of oil per day and receive cash payment,” a senior Iranian diplomat told Reuters on Sunday (August 25).
According to the Iranian official, this step can be seen as a conciliatory move and create a suitable atmosphere for future negotiations.
CBS News quoted a European diplomat as saying that the leaders of the Group of Seven failed to persuade Trump to grant concessions or rollbacks on Iran sanctions during their meeting with him on Saturday evening.
Iran is also ready to work towards ensuring security in the Persian Gulf and de-escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Iranian officials have reiterated their unwillingness to negotiate over the country’s missile program. They also consider it their country’s right to conduct limited enrichment activities within the framework of the JCPOA. The minimum Iran has set for its oil exports is far below its actual capacity. For example, Iran exported about 2.7 million barrels of oil to world markets in May 2018.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, attended the last G7 summit in the French city of Biarritz on Saturday evening (August 24) and discussed the current critical situation with the leaders of the seven countries.
It is said that the leaders were informed of Zarif's invitation only shortly before the meeting, and it came as a surprise to them, although they later assessed it as "constructive."
The G7 members, except for the United States, are keen to preserve the nuclear agreement with Iran (JCPOA) and are trying to find a solution to the current impasse despite US sanctions measures.
Iran complains that the three European countries are not doing enough to "save the JCPOA."
According to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, these countries agree on the one hand that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons and on the other hand, they want the current tensions to be reduced.
Ms. Merkel emphasized that Zarif's invitation was "not an action by the G7" and stated that it was necessary to "use every opportunity."
The goal of the three countries, Germany, Britain, and France, is to reduce the pressure of US sanctions on Iran through initiatives and to help the Iranian economy as much as possible.
The White House has announced that Donald Trump was not aware of Zarif's presence on the sidelines of the G7 meeting, but he did not object to it.
Zarif has had no contact with the US delegation at the G7 meeting.
On the sidelines of the meeting, it was said that the United States is not willing to reduce "maximum pressure on Iran" or reconsider its sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Source: DW
