"There will be a handful of countries that come to the United States and ask for relief from that. We’ll consider it," Pompeo told Sky News Arabia.
At the same time, the top US diplomat warned against misinterpreting such an approach.
"Make no mistake about it, we are determined to convince the Iranian leadership that this malign behavior will not be rewarded and that the economic situation in their country will not be permitted to be rectified until such time as they become a more normal nation," he said.
US Department of State Director of Policy Planning Brian Hook said last week Washington is prepared to work with nations that are decreasing oil imports from Iran by case basis.
On May 8, Trump announced that his country would exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. In addition, Trump decided to reinstate the previously lifted sanctions on Iran, including the secondary ones, which target the countries doing business with Iran. Besides, Washington has been seeking to persuade its allies, including China and India, to abandon Iranian oil imports.
