India’s foreign minister said Monday that her nation will follow sanctions imposed by the United Nations but not ones leveled by individual countries, including those the U.S. is restoring on Iran, Reuters reported.
“India follows only U.N. sanctions, and not unilateral sanctions by any country,” Sushma Swaraj said at a news conference.
Earlier this month, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iranian nuclear deal and ordered sanctions against Tehran that were suspended by the agreement be reimposed.
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Iran, one of India’s top oil suppliers, has strong and long-standing economic and political ties with India, Reuters noted.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Swaraj in New Delhi on Monday to build support in opposition to the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal, according to the news service.
“Zarif briefed about the discussions that Iran has undertaken with parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action following the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Agreement,” the Indian government said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
Even though India continues to trade with Iran, it had to reduce oil imports because sanctions cut access to banking channels and insurance for oil tankers, according to Reuters.