Nikki Haley said she had a "constructive conversation" with PM Modi on cutting Iranian oil imports.
Highlights
- US push to curb Iranian oil import comes after nuclear deal withdrawal
- India is the biggest importer of Iranian oil after China
- India earlier said it follows UN sanctions, not the US restrictions
Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, has told NDTV that India needs to "rethink its relationship with Iran" and she had a "constructive conversation" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about cutting Iranian oil imports during their meeting on Wednesday.
"All of us have to rethink who we choose to do business with. I think as a friend, India should also decide if this is a country they want to continue doing business with. So yes, I had that conversation with PM Modi. It was a constructive conversation," Ms Haley, who is on a two-day visit to India, told NDTV.
The US push to curb the import of Iranian oil comes after President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers and ordered re-imposition of sanctions on Tehran in an effort to stall Tehran's nuclear capabilities. On Tuesday, the US asked nations to cut all imports of Iranian oil from November.
India -- the biggest importer of Iranian oil after China -- had earlier said it follows UN sanctions, not the restrictions imposed by the US. "The US sees Iran for the threat that it is. The rest of the world joined in agreement," Ms Haley told NDTV. "I think for the future of India, future of resources, we would encourage them to rethink their relationship with Iran".
The last time sanctions were imposed on Iran, India was one of the few nations importing Iranian oil. But the scale of import was severely hit as shipping, insurance and banking channels were choked by the European and US sanctions.