The US has ruled out any exemption from its punitive sanctions on Iran for countries buying oil from that country (including India), saying America’s pressure campaign was working and the Donald Trump administration remains “unwavering” in its tough policy on Tehran.

President Trump last month refused to give waivers to countries such as India from buying oil from Iran, in an attempt to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero.

The US on Tuesday reiterated its position at a news conference here after media reports from New Delhi, quoting unnamed government officials, said that India was looking at ways to resume oil imports from Iran despite the US sanctions.

Last week, India’s Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India had stopped buying oil from Iran after May 2 when the US ended its waivers. The waivers had allowed the top buyers of Iranian oil, including India, to continue imports for six months.

comment COMMENT NOW