The Malaysian authorities have expressed their willingness to engage in discussions with the United States regarding concerns about potential Iranian oil exports to China, Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Digital Communications of Malaysia, said as reported by the New Straits Times newspaper.
"The Malaysian government, along with relevant ministries and agencies, stands ready to initiate dialogue with their American counterparts to gain clarity on the expressed concerns," stated Fadzil. He emphasized Malaysia's adherence to UN sanctions while highlighting the need for a thorough examination of unilateral restrictive measures. However, Fadzil refrained from providing detailed comments as the matter remains under internal government deliberation.
According to Bloomberg, representatives from the US Treasury Department are scheduled to hold discussions this week with leaders of financial institutions and oil companies in Singapore and Malaysia, urging them to cease facilitating Iranian oil exports, a significant portion of which is destined for China.
Since the start of 2023, China has been averaging imports of 1.2 million barrels of oil per day from Iran, according to data from the analytical company Kpler. However, Bloomberg notes that Iranian oil has not been explicitly mentioned in Chinese customs summaries since mid-2022. It is believed that Iranian oil is entering China disguised as products from other countries, including Malaysia. This practice involves the transfer of oil from one tanker to another in Malaysian territorial waters, complicating efforts to enforce US sanctions against the Iranian oil sector.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS