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Tehran is bracing for tough new US sanctions as Washington piles on the pressure in a bid to force Iran to negotiate a new nuclear pact. Mr Trump’s administration is also pushing allies to cut Iranian oil imports to zero once the latest sanctions kick in on November 4. But after meeting with his Indian counterpart, Iran’s foreign minister said the two countries are committed to continuing their economic cooperation. Asked if India had given an assurance about continuing oil imports, Mohammad Javad Zarif said: “Our Indian friends have always been categorical in terms of their intention to continue economic cooperation and the import of oil from Iran. And I heard the same statement from my Indian counterpart.”

India is Iran’s second-biggest oil client after China. The South Asian giant has already reduced the amount of Iranian oil it buys, but has not decided whether it will stop purchases completely. During previous rounds of sanctions against Iran, India was one of the few countries that continued trading with the Islamic Republic. Zarif added: ”We have comprehensive cooperation with India and that comprehensive cooperation also includes energy cooperation because Iran has always been a reliable source of energy for India.”

Iran news: Tehran claims India will continue buying Iranian oil despite US sanctions

Iran is braced for a new set of tough US sanctions which target its oil exports

Donald Trump yesterday warned any individual, company or nation that flouts the latest sanctions would face “severe consequences”. He has previously said anyone who does business with Iran would not be allowed to trade with the US. Mr Trump’s administration re-imposed sanctions on Tehran after the US leader announced in May that he was pulling out of a landmark nuclear accord. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, traded sanctions relief for curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme. But Mr Trump, a fierce critic of the agreement, said the terms still allowed Tehran to develop ballistic missiles and stoke conflicts in the Middle East. The US leader hopes that by ratcheting up the pressure on Iran, it will be forced to return to the negotiating table to discuss a more comprehensive deal.

Donald Trump warned yesterday that 'severe consequences' would face anyone doing business with Iran