Iran announced the sale of oil of Belarus

The Belarusian company Beloil Polska (a subsidiary of the state "Belarusneft") agreed to buy oil in Iran. The relevant agreement on February 18 is reported in a press release from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

According to NIOC, Beloil Polska purchased 600 thousand barrels of oil with delivery in February 2017. It is noted that this is the first supply of raw materials from Iran to Belarus after lifting international sanctions from Tehran last year.

On February 16, Beloil’s deal was told by unnamed Reuters sources. According to them, the batch of raw materials for 600 thousand barrels (80 thousand tons) should be sent to Belarus through the Black Sea port of Odessa or through the Baltic Ventspils. Nioc did not specify the supply route.

A message about the purchase of Iranian oil was made against the backdrop of the oil and gas dispute of Belarus with Russia. In early February, Moscow decided to reduce oil supplies in connection with the gas debt in Belarus. After that, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, called the position of the Russian Federation “mockery” and added: “The dispute went exclusively on gas. They began to cut oil in violation of all agreements in violation of all agreements. ” He also emphasized that, if necessary, Belarus will do without Russian oil, although it will “be very difficult”.

Experts surveyed by TASS considered the purchase of Minsk oil from Iran with an “image gesture”. In their opinion, the supply of Iranian raw materials will not be able to replace deliveries from Russia.