Iran hopes India will seeks another waiver from US sanctions

Iran Tuesday expressed hope India will seek another waiver from US sanctions to continue buying its crude oil, noting that it is the world's fastest-growing major economy's most reliable energy provider.

India in November last year won a six-month waiver to buy crude oil from Iran after it agreed to cut imports and escrow rupee payments.

"Challenges will be overcome, ways will be found. So, you are looking at a country that has not only survived but prospered and achieved progress in spite of 40 years of sanctions. Sanctions are not new for Iran," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said while addressing a business summit here.

He termed the US sanctions against his country as "purely illegal", saying one country was using its economic might to advance illegality.

While the previous sanctions over its suspected nuclear programme were endorsed by the United Nations, the sanctions Trump administration imposed last year are only by the US.

"Iran is the most reliable energy provider to India. We have not allowed any consideration to impede our relations," he said. "India was on our side (when Iran went through sanctions). We will not forget people who were on our side when better times come."