The Islamic Republic’s envoy to India Iraj Elahi said Friday that Tehran wants to sell oil to India and is ready to deliver it, despite US sanctions.

In an interview with Asian News International, Ambassador Elahi said, “We always express our readiness to increase our economic ties with India. It's up to India, we are ready to deliver oil.”

Noting that the US sanctions have been an obstacle for the export of oil to India, he said that “India and Iran should find a way to solve this problem according to their national interests, and not according to illegal US sanctions.” The Islamic Republic’s independence is the “best guarantee for India,” he added. 

India abided by US sanctions when former US president Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement known as JCPOA and gradually imposed a full ban on purchase of Iranian oil by third countries. But China continued buying small volumes until November 2020 when it began noticeably increasing imports of illicit Iranian shipments.

However, according to an analysis published by Reuters in July, China’s growing imports of Iranian oil has made India not follow Western sanctions on Russian crude as it did regarding the Islamic Republic. 

Indian officials said, “New Delhi wants to avoid repeating what it sees as the mistakes of the past: abiding by sanctions on Iran and winding down oil imports, only to see its main regional rival China continue unpunished and benefit economically.”