The U.S. Urges India and Other Countries Not to Rush in Improving Relations with Iran

Wendy Sherman, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, urged India and other countries not to rush in improving relations with Iran and to wait until a final agreement on Iran's nuclear activities is signed. According to Reuters, Ms. Sherman, who is in India, stated on Wednesday, April 28, referring to India and other buyers of Iranian oil, "I just want to say, don't rush, we have not yet reached a final and conclusive agreement." Following the overall agreement between Iran and six world powers in the March negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland, an executive memorandum is to be drafted, which may lead to the lifting of some sanctions against Iran. Ms. Sherman said, "We are aware that no one wants to be the last (in the competition), especially if sanctions are lifted, everyone wants to be first." The report indicates that Iran and India have begun discussions to expand cooperation in the natural gas sector. Iran has also been in talks for oil cooperation with China. The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State stated, "Sanctions imposed in the areas of terrorism support and human rights violations against Iran will not be lifted even with a final nuclear agreement. We (the U.S.) are still concerned about the situation regarding terrorism support, human rights violations, and what is happening in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and other parts of the world." In response to the question of whether all sanctions against Iran would be lifted at once if a final agreement is reached, Ms. Sherman said, "Even after reaching a final agreement, some time will still be needed for implementation." Published reports indicate that Iran's oil exports saw a significant jump in April, primarily due to increased exports to India and Japan. Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing oil industry sources, that Iran's oil exports in April increased by 450,000 to 500,000 barrels per day compared to the previous month. Reuters writes that Iran hopes to increase its daily oil exports by about one million barrels after the comprehensive nuclear agreement, which is planned for late June.