Iran Sanctions: India is 'under pressure', but we believe India is a friend, says Iran envoy

Amid US sanctions, Iran on Tuesday said it believes India will act in its national interest on issue of oil imports and Tehran can act as a "protector" of India's energy security.

Iran's Ambassor to India Ali Chegeni also asserted that his country can provide "affordability, accessibility and security" of energy to India.

Iranian envoy also alluded to possibility of using barter, rupee and European mechanisms for tre in oil with India and or countries to circumvent US sanctions.

His remarks assume significance, as y come days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, h assured India that America is "doing everything" to ensure crude oil imports to New Delhi in wake of situation arising out of sanctions on importing oil from Iran.

Mike Pompeo h said India has me "hard choices" to cut off oil imports from Iran.

Referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks at joint press interaction with Mr Pompeo in New Delhi last week, Mr Chegeni said: "If Mr. Jaishankar said affordability, accessibility, and security of energy, Iran is only country that can provide all se aspects of energy for India. We expect from a friend... that we understand each or, follow our national interest and Iran is rey for being protector of energy security of India."

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Mr Chegeni said probably oil import might have been stopped but Iran h t got any "negative signal" from India that y would do so in future. "India is a friend forever. We understand that India will act according to its national interest. As we understand from Mr Jaishankar's statement that India will follow its national interest. That is acceptable for everybody," he said.

"We think India is under pressure, but we believe India is a friend of Iran. India's relations with or countries do t affect us. Our relations with India are based on history, it is based on long-term mutual benefit and interest," envoy said.

Asked about possibility of Chabahar port project getting affected despite t coming under US sanctions, Mr Chegeni said it showed "hypocrisy" of Americans that y say something else and do something else. He alleged that US was applying "indirect" sanctions on project.

"We wish golden gate (Chabahar) will t be affected, but indirectly it could be impacted," he said.

envoy also accused US of indulging in "terrorist acts" by applying ecomic sanctions on various countries. "I am calling US of being a state terrorist against Cuba, Venezuela and Iran... y will isolate mselves," he claimed.

On India making up its oil needs from Saudi Arabia and US, Mr Chegeni said Iran does t force its consumers and India will decide for itself.

He also asserted that oil issue will t affect India-Iran ties. Mr Chegeni also claimed that many countries were buying oil from Iran both officially and ufficially. "Our oil is sold, destinations are secret," he asserted.

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envoy also hoped that India's tre relationship with Iran will continue to expand. "Up to April, our bilateral tre between two countries was 18 billion, while in previous years it was 13.7 billion," he said.

envoy said Iran's Pasarg Bank h got all its clearances and will open a branch in Mumbai soon.

As six-month-long exemptions from US sanctions to buy oil from Iran ended in May, India h said it will deal with issue based on three factors -- country's energy security, commercial consideration and ecomic interests.