The Iranian government is looking into ways to evade US sanctions and their consequences, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported. According to the news outlet, President Hassan Rouhani has met with the heads of the legislative and the judicial branches of government to discuss measures aimed at preparing for possible sanctions in order to "prevent their negative impact." Means to ensure gasoline self-sufficiency were listed among the measures
Iran's government and parliament have already set up a commission tasked with finding buyers for Iranian oil after the US imposes its sanctions, IRNA reported. It will also work on finding ways to secure payments for its oil in a way that is "consistent with international law" and does not increase corruption.
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The US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, promising to re-impose sanctions against Iran that had been in place before the deal was reached in 2015. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has promised that the new sanctions will be the "toughest" ever seen. The State Department recently cautioned US allies against buying Iranian oil as of November, as doing so would lead to sanctions against entities working with the Islamic Republic.
Tehran has slammed the US' withdrawal from the JCPOA, saying the deal is unlikely to work without Washington's participation. The remaining signatories reaffirmed their adherence to agreement's provisions, despite the threat of US sanctions. Tehran has also banned all transactions in US dollars on its territory, resorting instead to other national currencies and the euro.