Iran Deputy FM: US Showing Flexibility on Oil Sales

Araqchi: US 'maximum pressure' campaign has been defeated

Speaking to Iran’s state media, Deputy FM Abbas Araqchi said that he believes the US has “shown some flexibility” on their previous insistence that Iran cannot export any oil, saying that shows the US “maximum pressure” campaign was defeated.

It’s not clear what flexibility on oil sales is, but Araqchi cited French talks with the US at the G7 summit. The US and France have not commented since then on the oil sales.

It may be that the flexibility is being perceived as part of the US seeking talks with Iran, as Iranian officials have made clear for months that their only “must have” in any deal is to be allowed to sell their oil.

France and other EU members trying to save the deal are well aware of what Iran needs, and have been pushing the US on the matter. With Iranian officials recently in France, it seems there is some reason to believe they’re getting something from the US other than a flat no.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.