Tehran: The Oil Ministry has rejected accusations that Iran used forged Iraqi documents on its oil tankers to circumvent sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing that Iranian oil sales are in accordance with international standards. The ministry’s reaction came on Monday after Iraq’s Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani claimed that several tankers with Iraqi bills of lading, which were recently seized by U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, actually belonged to Iran.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Abdel-Ghani stated on state television that there had been verbal inquiries regarding oil tankers carrying Iraqi shipping manifests. However, he mentioned there had been no formal written communication. He further claimed that these tankers were Iranian and had used forged Iraqi documents, a practice allegedly seen in similar cases by some businessmen before.
Iran quickly denied these accusations, attributing them to American officials. Deputy Iranian Oil Minister for International and Commercial Affairs Alimohammad Mousavi stated on Monday that the Iraqi oil minister’s remarks were based on incomplete information and influenced by American officials’ claims. Mousavi emphasized that the allegations are unfounded and part of the U.S.’s illegal strategy to exert pressure on Iran.
Mousavi reiterated that Iran’s oil sales comply with all accepted criteria and regulations in oil trade. He stressed that such allegations would not deter the Oil Ministry from performing its duties and responsibilities. Recently, a U.S. State Department spokesperson noted that the Trump administration ended Iraq’s sanctions waivers for buying electricity from Iran, urging Iraq to reduce its dependence on Iranian energy.
