Iran Oil Ministry: No Shipment of Oil to India, Not Yet!

Contradicting NIOC Announcement on Payment Dispute Resolution

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency today quoted an unnamed senior official at the Oil Ministry that the suspension of oil exports to India is still in effect and there were no plans for any shipment of crude to Indian refineries in August. The Oil Ministry official added that one of the Indian refineries, Mangalore Refinery, is trying to pay up its debts through a Turkish bank and if successful the ministry would lift the ban against shipment of crude to that particular refinery.

The report contradicted an announcement yesterday by National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Managing Director Ahmad Ghalebani that the payment dispute with India had been resolved and the shipment of oil to Indian refineries will continue as normal.