Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran has opened talks with Japanese companies on resuming crude oil exports under a 60-day US sanctions waiver issued on June 22 as part of ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, sources told Reuters on Friday.

Three Japanese companies are considering purchasing Iranian crude for the first time since 2019, according to the sources. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, however, said it was unaware of the talks.

US sanctions had halted Iranian oil exports to Japan, South Korea, India, and European countries following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018. The waiver forms part of broader indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran, where negotiators are working to implement the June 17 Memorandum of Understanding. The discussions cover sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as both sides seek a comprehensive agreement.