“Given negotiations (held between) lawmakers and the current situation of the country, the impeachment of oil minister in no longer on the agenda,” said Jalal Mirzaei, a member of the Iranian parliament’s energy committee, in an interview with  IRNA agency.

The lawmaker said Zanganeh had attended two rounds of inquiry in the energy committee to respond to questions of the lawmakers regarding the fuel price hike.

The government’s decision to abruptly increase the price of gasoline on November 15 caused an unprecedented wave of protests across Iran.

Some lawmakers in the parliament blamed the oil ministry for the crisis, saying authorities should have consulted the parliament before increasing the prices.

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The minister did not provide any figures for the country’s oil exports in the face of U.S. sanctions. “Giving a figure is not in our interests,” he added.

In late May, Reuters reported that Iranian crude oil exports fell in May to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) or lower.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers, aiming to cut Iran’s sales to zero.

The United States also told buyers of Iranian oil to stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers that had allowed Iran’s biggest customers to import limited volumes.

However, in the same month, Iranian oil ministry announced that the country is mobilizing all its resources to sell its oil in a gray market, countering unjust and illegitimate U.S. sanctions.

Deputy Director of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Hadi Haqshenas said in late May that crude oil loadings and exports from the country’s ports has not been halted and the exports are ongoing just like before.

“Perhaps the destinations of oil cargoes from our ports have changed but the legal exports are ongoing,” Haqshenas said.
The official noted that the oil ministry has adopted new tactics and new destinations in shipping its oil exports following the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions, giving no details of the new tactics or destinations.

“Of course, it cannot be denied that the loading of oil and products has fallen compared to the past, but the shipping of oil cargoes from our ports has definitely not stopped,” he added.
Iranian oil industry has been under pressure from the U.S. efforts to isolate the country by reimposing sanctions.

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“And two regional countries are showing enmity toward us in this organization. We are not their enemy but they are showing enmity toward us…and (they) use oil as a weapon against us in the global market and world.” Zanganeh added without naming the two countries.

Zanganeh further noted that the United States had made it increasingly difficult for Iran to sidestep sanctions but it had come up with new ways to circumvent them.

“We have thought about confronting America’s actions and constantly have found and will find new ways and anyway this is a war where we are standing strong and will not retreat.” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the official noted that no country can replace Iran in the oil market.

“The market is fragile and turbulent and the U.S. and its allies are trying to prevent the prices going up by false pretenses,” he said.

“Oil should be left out of politics. Oil is a necessary commodity for the growth of global economy, it is not a weapon. U.S. should leave oil out of its political games,” he added.

Earlier this month, in a letter Zanganeh opposed an OPEC proposal to reschedule the meeting which is set to take place on June 25-26 to early July.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran last year, and as a result, Iranian oil exports have decreased from their normal levels.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that Saudi Arabia compensate for the drop in Iranian supplies by increasing its own production, a move that Iran has said undermines the proper functioning of OPEC.

OPEC is currently scheduled to meet on June 25, followed by talks with its allies led by Russia on June 26. However, Russia suggested moving the meeting to July 3-4 and Riyadh supports the request, sources within the organization told Reuters.

“I disagree with the proposed changes of the dates. I have already tight commitment in that period and, moreover, no reason was provided on the urgency of giving consideration to this date change,” Zanganeh wrote.

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