Iran is still exporting oil despite the early termination last week of a 60-day waiver of US sanctions that was part of an interim US-Iran peace framework, Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on his Telegram account.
He said that his ministry had for years availed a number of mechanisms to circumvent the impact of US sanctions and that Iran's exports would continue unhindered despite the end of the waivers.
The US has reinstated a blockade on Iranian ports, however, preventing vessels from arriving to load or from departing with cargo, according to media reports.
Bloomberg reported on Monday that volumes of Iranian crude on vessels now at sea had risen significantly during the waiver period, but that it was struggling to find buyers with the sanctions now restored and because Chinese private refiners have found cheaper Middle Eastern alternatives.
has emailed Iran's oil ministry seeking comment.