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S. Africa negotiating with Iran on resumption of oil imports: official

Xinhua, September 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Africa is negotiating with Iran on the resumption of oil supplies, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

The negotiations were about when to resume oil supplies fully, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nomaindiya Mfeketo told reporters in Cape Town.

Under pressure from Western countries, South Africa halted imports of Iranian oil as of June 2012 as a result of sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. Iran had been South Africa's largest supplier of crude oil.

In July, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for lifting of the 13-year sanctions. The deal with six world powers - China, the United States, France, Britain, Russia and Germany - paved way for South Africa to resume oil imports from Iran.

"It (the deal) will afford us an opportunity to resume our bilateral engagements including in oil," Mfeketo said in her latest update on diplomatic developments.

"For South Africa if there is a process of doing that lawfully tomorrow we will do it. But it all depends on how quick those negotiations between the different departments happen so that we can sign on the dotted line,"she said.

South Africa, she said, considers Iran to be an important friend and partner and recognizes the important role Iran assumes regionally and internationally within global governance and multilateral architecture.

Mfeketo recently led a delegation to Iran on a working visit, during which she held bilateral discussions with Iranian officials with the aim of expanding and consolidating political, economic and cultural ties.

"In our bilateral discussions with our Iranian counterparts, both sides expressed the desire to see the relationship between the two countries further expanded and consolidated," Mfeketo said.

South Africa and Iran enjoy cooperation across varied fields, including arts and culture, agriculture, education and health, and the potential for the expansion thereof remains positive, she added. Enditem