Iranian Oil Minister Underscores Need for More Domestic Production Amid Sanctions

© AP Photo / Vahid SalemiFacilities of a natural gas refinery under construction in the South Pars gas field on the northern coast of Persian Gulf in Asalouyeh, Iran
Facilities of a natural gas refinery under construction in the South Pars gas field on the northern coast of Persian Gulf in Asalouyeh, Iran - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tehran should focus on developing domestic production while the West's sanctions remain in full force, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said on Tuesday.
"We should seize the opportunity to develop domestic production and technologies in this regard," Zangeneh said during the inauguration ceremony of the country's sixth oil rig, as quoted by the Mehr news agency.

Iran is currently subject to some of the strictest economic sanctions imposed by Western nations, mainly the United States. Despite this, the nation's top officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have repeatedly said that the sanctions are an opportunity to focus on internal potential and reduce the economy's dependence on the global oil industry.

The sanctions against Iran were reintroduced by the United States in the wake of Washington's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018. The restrictions target Iran's economy, energy, financial and transportation sectors, among others.

A crew member raises the Iranian flag at Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, formerly named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. - Sputnik International
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In May 2019, Iran started to gradually reduce its commitments to maintain the peaceful nature of its nuclear program under the JCPOA.

The government announced last month that it was discontinuing all remaining obligations under the deal, but said it would return to full compliance if sanctions were lifted. In the meantime, Tehran pledged to continue cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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