Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday slammed the United States over its stance on purchasing Russian oil, alleging that Washington is now urging countries worldwide, including India, to buy Russian crude after previously pressuring them to halt such imports.
In a post on X, Araghchi said, “The US spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world–including India–to buy Russian crude.”
The Iranian foreign minister also took aim at European countries, accusing them of backing what he described as an “illegal war” against Iran in the expectation of gaining US support against Russia.
“Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win US support against Russia. Pathetic,” he said.
The remarks by Iran’s foreign minister come after the Trump administration on Thursday announced a 30-day waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil cargoes currently stranded at sea.
The move was described as a measure aimed at easing pressure on global energy markets after crude prices climbed past $100 per barrel amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
According to the United States Department of the Treasury, the temporary licence allows the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products that had already been loaded onto vessels as of March 12. The authorisation will remain valid until midnight Washington time on April 11.
The decision follows an earlier 30-day waiver issued on March 5 that allowed India to purchase Russian oil cargoes stuck at sea, providing importers with limited flexibility to secure supplies during the ongoing crisis.
Iran Allows Indian LPG Carriers Through Strait Of Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran permitted two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, according to a report by Reuters citing sources familiar with the matter.
Reuters also reported, citing two sources and shipping data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, that a crude oil tanker carrying Saudi Arabian oil is expected to arrive in India on Saturday after transiting the Strait of Hormuz around March 1.
Iran Envoy Assures Safe Passage For India-Bound Ships
Earlier, Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, said Tehran would ensure safe passage for vessels heading to India through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict in West Asia, highlighting the longstanding ties between the two countries.
Responding to a question on whether Indian-bound ships would be allowed safe transit through the strategic waterway, Fathali said, “Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see the future, and I think that after two or three hours. Because we believe that.”
“We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests; we have a common fate,” he added.
He stressed the shared responsibility between the two nations, and said that the “suffering of the people of India is our suffering and vice versa. And for this reason, the government of India help us, and we should help the government of India because we have a common fate and common interest.”
