DUBAI: Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said Wednesday that Tehran will continue selling oil to China even if United Nations sanctions are reimposed under the snapback mechanism. His remarks came as European powers push to resolve a standoff over Iran’s nuclear program at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany (the E3), along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, met with Iran’s top diplomat on Tuesday to prevent the reimposition of sanctions. The E3 triggered the 30-day snapback process on August 28, accusing Tehran of breaching the 2015 nuclear accord. Unless a breakthrough is reached, sanctions will resume on September 27.
Europe is demanding Iran restore UN inspectors’ access to sensitive sites, address concerns over enriched uranium stockpiles, and resume talks with Washington. But Paknejad was adamant, stating: “Oil sales to China will continue, we have no problem.”
He argued that years of “unjust and unilateral” US sanctions had already created severe restrictions, leaving any additional UN measures with little practical effect. China absorbed nearly 80% of Iran’s crude exports in 2024, according to analytics firm Kpler.
By Reuters