TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA) � An NIOC official, while pointing to MOL Group�s request to Import light crude from Iran, said the country is not ready to deploy the oil product to the Hungarian company.


Executive Director for International Affairs at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Seyed Mohsen Ghamsari pointed to the willingness of Hungary�s MOL to buy Iran�s light oil saying �at the present time, negotiations with the European firm are underway.�

�MOL has made a bid�to purchase 30 to 40 thousand barrels of light crude oil form Iran,� noted the official adding �talks are being conducted with the European oil company though Iran is not ready to ship light crude to Hungary at the moment.�

Ghamsari outlined certain East European states as new customers of Iran�s oil in the post-sanction era reiterating �before sanctions were imposed against the country, France, Britain, Spain and Italy were traditional customers of the Iranian crude while a number of East European countries have made proposals to purchase oil from Iran in the post-JCPOA period.�

Over the past few weeks, several negotiations have been held with foreign oil companies to export crude to East European companies as the first cargo sold to Russia�s Lukoil has been shipped to a Romanian refinery.

In addition to Romania, numerous oil companies from Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia as well as Serbia have launched talks with Iran for singing spot or long-term contracts.

Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Amir Hossein Zamaninia had recently reported on the opening of the first Slovenian oil and gas bureau in Tehran noting �reopening of new oil offices in East Europe could accelerate and facilitate oil trade with Iran.�

Overall, Iran plans to diversify its target markets covering East Europe, African countries like South Africa and Ghana, Asian countries and even South America in order to bring about export security to the country�s oil industry in the long run.

By Mehr News Agency