Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad was asked by a local reporter today (Thursday) whether Iran’s oil sales had actually stopped as a result of U.S. sanctions. The minister appeared surprised by the question and said that while sales have declined in recent months, they are continuing even now.
🔴 تعجب وزیر نفت از سخنان همتی در مورد نفت ایران: فروشی را عملا نداشتیم؟! تا این لحظه تحویل نفت به مشتریان ادامه دارد
💢 محسن پاکنژاد، وزیر نفت در پاسخ به به خبرنگار جماران در خصوص اینکه رئیس کل بانک مرکزی گفته فروش نفت ایران عملا متوقف شده، گفت: فروشی را عملا نداشتیم؟!
📌… https://t.co/GOQlYKwqc9 pic.twitter.com/r8lfpgcB5L— AbdiMedia | عبدی مدیا (@AbdiMedia_net) August 27, 2026
Paknejad said Iran has spent recent months moving its oil to locations where it can more easily be transferred to customers. “Up to this moment, the process of selling oil outside our territorial waters, in distant waters—selling in the sense of delivering it to customers—is continuing,” he said. The United States recently announced new economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. In an unusually forceful post, President Donald Trump made clear that Washington would not limit itself to sanctions directly targeting Tehran, but would also move against international actors attempting to help keep the regime “above water.”
Despite the warning, when the U.S. Treasury secretary was asked this week why Washington had not yet punished countries and entities continuing to trade with Iran, he said immediately imposing secondary sanctions could have severe consequences for the global economy. The administration is therefore holding off on implementing them for now—while Tehran claims its oil continues to reach customers.