The United States officials have made the request during a recent meeting with Japanese officials in Tokyo this week, Bloomberg reported on Friday, adding no decision has been reached and discussions will continue later.
The US administration has given 180 days to reduces oil purchases from Iran after it announced on May 8 its unlawful withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran known as the JCPOA.
According to Bloomberg, the request to stop imports entirely signals a tougher American stance than in 2012, when nations were allowed to continue buying at reduced levels in exchange for waivers from US financial restrictions.
The Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar-e Zanganeh said in Vienna on Friday after attending an OPEC meeting that Iran does not think oil buyers, including Japan, will get waivers from the United States administration.
Zanganeh said that oil companies such as Royal Dutch Shell and Total have already stopped buying oil from Iran.
The Iranian top oil official added that most customers are still purchasing Iran’s oil and there are ways to continue the oil exports.
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