Iran's crude oil exports rose 8.74 percent year-on-year from 2.115 million barrels/day (mbd) to 2.3 mbd in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, Shana reported Wednesday.
The amount of oil exported to Asian and European countries between March 21 and June 21 marked an increase of 185 mbd on average over the same period last year, according to the report of the Oil Ministry's news agency.
'As usual, China and India were the largest buyers of Iranian oil. Unaffected by U.S. pullout of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal, the two countries seem to be determined to continue oil purchases from OPEC-member Iran,' Shana said.
Citing a report by Russian news agency Sputnik on Tuesday, the agency further said that India's Oil Ministry claimed that crude imports from sanctions-hit Iran witnessed a 'massive jump' in June compared to last year, 'disproving reports published by global research agencies that India had heavily cut down crude purchases from Iran due to American sanctions'.
'Following the U.S. pullout of the JCPOA and threats to impose tougher-than-ever sanctions on Tehran, South Korea and Japan have been seeking sanctions waivers from Washington to continue dealing with Iran,' Shana added.
According to an early July report by the news agency, the country's oil revenues increased 74 percent in the first quarter of the current calendar year compared with the same period last year.
By Hale Turkes
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr