Iran’s president warns over US push against buying Iran oil

Rouhani didn’t elaborate but when pressured in the past, Iran has threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz though which one third of the world’s oil supply passes. (Photo: United Nations Photo/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

TEHRAN, Iran – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is warning that regional oil supply could be jeopardized if the United States manages to get its allies to stop buying Tehran’s oil.

Rouhani spoke to Iranian expatriates in Switzerland during his visit there on Monday. He says the U.S. has threatened not to allow Iran to continue exporting its oil. The Iranian state TV broadcast his remarks.

Rouhani didn’t elaborate but when pressured in the past, Iran has threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz though which one third of the world’s oil supply passes.

Iran is OPEC’s second-largest crude exporter with more than 2 million barrels a day.

After the U.S. pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran, Washington has been pushing allies to cut oil imports from Iran altogether by November.