Japan could halt Iran oil imports under US pressure next month – reports

Japan’s major oil wholesalers are preparing to suspend crude oil imports from Iran in October, amid fears Washington will sanction countries importing Iranian crude, according to local media reports. US President Donald Trump in May pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and last month began re-imposing sanctions that block other countries from trading with Iran. A second phase of sanctions targeting Iran’s crucial oil industry and banking sector will be reinstated on November 5, AFP reported. Tokyo has been seeking a waiver that would allow it to continue importing Iranian oil, but it appears unlikely to win one, Jiji Press agency and other media said. A Trade Ministry official on Monday confirmed Japan had raised the issue of a waiver in talks with the US.