WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st October, 2018) The United States is considering waivers on upcoming oil-related sanction against Tehran for countries that have significantly reduced oil imports from Iran, State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters during a press briefing.
"The United States' government currently is in the middle of an internal process to consider significant reduction exemptions for individual countries," Palladino said on Tuesday. "We are determined to implement our policy of maximum pressure on Iran... But we are prepared to work with countries that are reducing their imports on case by case basis."
He stressed that Washington's goal remains to reduce to zero oil purchases from Iran as quickly as possible.
"That's our strategy," Palladino said. "That's not changed."
Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran after the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in May, a move strongly condemned by Tehran. The first round of sanctions was introduced in August. Even tougher restrictions, mainly targeting the Iranian oil industry, are expected to be slapped in early November.
Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Mahjoub told Sputnik last week Iraq was preparing a request to Washington to exempt Baghdad from possible US sanctions over cooperation with Iran.
