Germany has imported a major petroleum shipment from Iran for the first time in five years, according to the latest data by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Based on Eurostat's information cited in a Monday report by IRNA news agency, Germany imported 69,737 metric tons (mt) of crude oil or petroleum products from Iran in March of this year. The country's last import of Iranian crude was a 10,000-mt shipment reported in October 2018.
Germany's move comes at a time when the US government has yet to make any changes to its unlawful sanctions policy against Iran despite its claim of seeking a diplomatic solution to ease tensions with the country.
Bulgaria, another EU member, also imported 147 mt of crude oil or petroleum products from Iran in the first quarter of this year, according to Eurostat.
The European Union’s total oil imports from Iran during the period, based on data by Eurostat, amounted to 69,884 mt, a record since 2018 when the US withdrew from the historic nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Five years on, European refineries seem increasingly inclined to disregard US sanctions on Iran, particularly in the wake of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine which has affected the global energy prices.