October 15, The Iran Project - In recent days, Iranian officials repeatedly undermine US bids on cutting Iran oil exports to zero, expressing optimism over finding ways to bypass Washington sanctions.

Addressing a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson underscored that the US could never push the Islamic Republic’s oil exports down to zero, saying crude exports will go on at a suitable level.

“The US has been pushing to realize an objective that is impossible to achieve, namely driving Iran’s oil export to zero, but it will definitely not (be able to) fulfill its wrong dream,” Bahram Qassemi stated at the conference.

He noted that Iran has started talks with other countries and already formulated the necessary mechanisms to foil the US attempts at bringing Iran’s oil exports to zero with new sanctions.

Also on Sunday, the country’s first vice-president said Iran has found new customers for its oil and is holding talks with the traditional buyers to find new ways to cooperate with other nations.

Although some buyers of Iran’s oil have cut off imports from the country prior to the resumption of sanctions on November 4, “We could find new customers for our oil,” Jahangiri reiterated at a ceremony held to mark World Standard Day on October 14.

Touching upon the recent hike in the oil prices, Jahangiri noted that it was something that US did not want to happen.

US President Donald Trump thinks that Saudi Arabia and other countries are able to compensate for the loss of Iranian oil supplies, thus hindering a price hike, he said, adding that the price of Iran’s oil has hit $80 a barrel while the time of sanctions has not come yet.

So, Iran can export half of its oil but earn like the past, he stressed.

On the other side, US special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on Monday that the United States still aims to cut Iran’s oil sales to zero and does not expect restored oil sanctions against Tehran to have a negative impact on a market that is well-supplied and balanced.

fter Washington’s May 8 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear Deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the US gave 90-to-180-day wind-down period to other countries before it starts re-imposing sanctions on Tehran on November 4. The US move drew criticism of the world leaders, particularly the Europeans.

Since then, the European countries have been trying to save the 2015 landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and multiple global powers by offering financial packages.