DUBAI (Reuters) – A senior Iranian official said on Saturday the United States had shown flexibility on the licensing of Iranian oil sales and this was a sign that Washington\u2019s \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d policy against Tehran had been defeated, state media reported.<\/p>\n
French President Emmanuel Macron paved the way at a G7 summit a week ago for a potential diplomatic solution to a confrontation between the United States and Iran brewing since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington last year from world powers\u2019 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.<\/p>\n
\u201cMacron met with …Trump during the G7 meeting and the U.S. side has shown some flexibility in the licensing of Iranian oil sales,\u201d Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted by the state news agency IRNA as saying.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a breach in the U.S. maximum pressure policy and a success for Iran\u2019s policy of maximum resistance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Araqchi did not elaborate, and there was no immediate French or U.S. comment.<\/p>\n
Since ditching the nuclear deal, calling it flawed to Iran\u2019s advantage, Trump has reimposed sanctions to strangle its vital oil trade and force Tehran to accept stricter limits on its nuclear activity, curb its ballistic missile program and end its support for proxy forces around the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Araqchi said Iran and its European partners in the nuclear deal faced \u201cdifficult and complex\u201d talks towards salvaging the pact. He said Tehran was determined to continue reducing its commitments under the accord until it received protection against sanctions on its oil sales and banking transactions.<\/p>\n
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged his people on Wednesday to unite to overcome Washington\u2019s \u201ceconomic war\u201d while his government said it would use diplomacy to try to solve the standoff even though it distrusted Trump.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted the Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying Washington had reliable information the vessel was headed to Syria, an ally of Tehran.<\/p>\n
The ship was detained by Britain off Gibraltar in July due to suspicions it was carrying Iranian oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. It was released in mid-August after Iran gave assurances that its cargo was not destined for Syria.<\/p>\n
Turkey said on Friday the ship was headed to Lebanese waters after changing course several times. Beirut said it was not informed of the plan, but Turkey\u2019s information suggested that a ship-to-ship transfer of cargo might be attempted once it nears the coast of Lebanon, which borders on Syria.<\/p>\n
A senior Iranian military commander vowed that Iran would retaliate if any of its vessels was stopped in international waters, according to Fars news agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cPiracy against Iran can\u2019t be easily overlooked. It is natural for us to act when Iranian ships are stopped in any part of the world\u2019s waters. Iran\u2019s armed forces will certainly retaliate,\u201d Brigadier General Kiumars Heydari, the head of Iran\u2019s regular ground forces, told Fars.<\/p>\n
Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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