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Iran replaces Saudi Arabia, becomes second-biggest oil supplier to India amid growing sanctions from U.S

On Monday, Iran replaced Saudi Arabia to become the second biggest oil supplier to Indian state refiners between April and June, India’s oil minister, Dharmendra Pradhan said. In a written reply, he said India, Iran’s top oil client after China, shipped in 5.67 million tonnes, or about 457,000 barrels per day (bpd), of oil, from the country in the first three months of this fiscal year.

Reuters data shows India imported about 3.46 million tonnes, or about 279,000 bpd, from Iran between April and June last year. Iraq continued to be the top oil supplier to India in the April-June period. New Delhi shipped in 7.27 million tonnes of oil from Iraq, while shipments from Saudi Arabia totalled 5.22 million tonnes, making it the third largest supplier, Pradhan’s statement showed.

“Indian refineries import crude oil from diverse sources including Iran, depending on technical and commercial considerations,” Pradhan said.

Major Iranian oil buyers, including India are under pressure after Washington withdrew from a 2005 nuclear deal in May to reimpose sanctions on the regime. US envoy to India, Nikki Haley had earlier, in her visit, told Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi to ‘cut Iranian oil use’, calling the republic ‘the next North Korea’.

Earlier, on Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the U.S President Donald Trump against the pursuit of hostile politics toward the islamic regime, saying, “America should know … war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” He, however, did not rule out peace in the ongoing sanction war headed by the U.S, reported the state news agency IRNA.

While addressing a gathering consisted of Iranian diplomats, he said, “Mr Trump, don’t play with the lion’s tail, this would only lead to regret.”

“America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” Rouhani said.

Trump had replied with a tweet, saying, “We are no longer a country that will stand for your demented words of violence & death. Be cautious!” Trump said, writing the entire message in capital letters.

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